


How Do You Measure a Year?

by irisadler



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: AU where everyone's human, Bad Puns, Clary does not exist, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Event Planner Magnus, Eventual Smut, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Innuendo, Jace is an asshole, Luke is Simon's dad, M/M, Maia and Alec are besties, Mutual Pining, Nurse Alec, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2019-05-07 14:21:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 45
Words: 61,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14672907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irisadler/pseuds/irisadler
Summary: Everyone knows that Fray’s Hardware is owned by the same people who run the Honey Pot, an online sex shop, and that packages from the Honey Pot are shipped in hardware store packaging for discretion. Magnus keeps finding Fray’s Hardware packages on his doorstep addressed to his new neighbour, one Alec Lightwood. At first, he just chuckles at his neighbour’s enthusiasm, but as time passes, he’s increasingly surprised and impressed at the size and weight and sheer quantity of packages that keep arriving for this Alec person. It’s a while before they meet, because of differing schedules, but when they do, Magnus doesn’t pass up the chance to tease him mercilessly about his Honey Pot addiction. He doesn't know what he was expecting but utter confusion certainly wasn't it.This fic will take place over the course of a year and will track the developing relationship between Alec and Magnus, with (slightly) background relationships between Raphael/Simon and Maia/Izzy.





	1. March 7

**Author's Note:**

> Spawned from [this](https://ifthingsgetcrazy.tumblr.com/post/169778549841/phaeleah-so-heres-another-au-idea-since) tumblr prompt...
> 
> My heartfelt thanks to  
> \- [Bay](http://alliaskofyou.tumblr.com/) (fics [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alliaskofyou)) for betaing this and nurturing it from a simple short plot bunny into a sprawling MONSTER.  
> \- [Kaye](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmudleyKAM/works) for reading and betaing and encouraging me when I almost gave up on this.  
> \- [Taupe](http://taupefox59.tumblr.com/) (fics [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taupefox59/pseuds/Taupefox59)) for betaing and screaming a lot and providing ballroom dance expertise :)  
> \- my Krakenbabes for making every single day better <3

On Wednesday evening, when Magnus gets home from work, he sees a small package in front of his door. As he gets closer, he sees it’s from Fray’s Hardware, a fixture in Alicante. Magnus knows of it, of course, but he is more familiar with the Honey Pot, an online sex toy boutique run by the same people. For discretion, people’s sexy purchases are shipped in packaging from Fray’s Hardware. The little box would be a welcome sight, except Magnus hasn’t ordered anything. He stoops down to pick it up and realises it isn’t addressed to him in 3a, but to a certain Alec Lightwood in 3b.

Magnus has never seen his new neighbour. They moved in while he was on vacation a few weeks ago and, so far, pretty keep much to themselves. Whatever their profession, they never seem to be home when Magnus is. He hadn’t known anything about them until today since their doors only list last names and initials, but now he has a name. _Alec_ , Magnus says to himself, turning the name over and over in his mouth. _I wonder if that’s short for Alexander._ He places the package gently in front of the correct door and grins to himself as he unlocks his door, mentally wishing ‘Alec Lightwood’ a good time with their new purchase. He steps inside, then Chairman Meow is rubbing up against his ankles, and he thinks no more of the package.


	2. March 10

The next Saturday, Magnus comes home to multiple packages on his doormat. They are all from Fray’s hardware - two small and one large. All addressed to Alec Lightwood.

Magnus sighs as he bends to move the packages. He grabs the large one and nearly drops it, surprised at its heft. _What the fuck? This thing must weigh over ten pounds!_ He’s a little taken aback by his neighbour’s enthusiasm.

As he drops the packages onto Alec’s doormat, he finds himself wondering what the hell this guy is into… and what’s inside the heavy box. _Some kind of metal vibrator? A fucking machine?_


	3. March 30

Almost three weeks - and several more mysterious packages - later, Magnus finally meets his neighbour. Magnus had left work a bit early for an appointment and then headed straight home afterwards. As he approaches his front door, he’s got his head down, looking for his keys. He almost runs straight into a stranger. He automatically puts out a hand to steady himself and starts to raise his head to apologise, but then he registers the firm muscles he’s grabbed onto. He stares at where his fingers are wrapped around the stranger’s - frankly ridiculous - bicep, completely forgetting anything else.

“Um. Hey. Are you okay?”

Magnus blinks.

“ _And_ I’m back,” he says, taking a deep breath and forcing himself to release the man’s arm.

He takes a step back and looks into the stranger’s face. _Holy shit._ The guy’s gorgeous, all lean lines and muscles, cheekbones and messy hair, hazel eyes and a lovely mouth. He stands a little taller even than Magnus, those multi coloured irises radiating confusion and concern. He’s wearing scrubs and still manages to look good, which Magnus didn’t think was possible. Magnus looks closer. Are those...?

“Unicorns!” he blurts, feeling heat rise in his face when he realises what he just said. He opens his mouth to say something, try to fix the terrible first impression he must be making, but the stranger laughs. It’s a really nice laugh, and Magnus is tempted to put a hand on his chest to feel the rumble of it. And to cop a feel, of course. Because if the guy’s arms feel like that, what must his chest be like?!

“Yes. Unicorns for Bella,” the man replies, lips turning up as he looks at Magnus in amusement. And god, that _smile._ Something flutters in Magnus’ stomach at the sight.

“Are you sure you’re alright? You seem kind of out of it.”

Magnus shakes his head, trying to pull himself together.

“I’m sorry. I’m fine. You just… caught me off guard.” He grins, a little cheeky. “Also, I wasn’t expecting the unicorns.” He remembers what the man said. “Who’s Bella?”

The man smiles again, soft and a little sad.

“One of my patients. I’m a nurse. I work at the children’s hospital.”

“Do you wear specific outfits for all the kids?” Magnus asks. He thinks it’s probably not the right response, feels like he should express sympathy or something, but it just pops out.

“When they have something in particular coming up, yes,” the nurse says. “Bella has a radiation treatment tomorrow, so she requested unicorns. For courage.”

He’s so genuine, no guile whatsoever, and yet somehow he’s more devastating than the most blatant flirt Magnus has ever met. Aside from himself, of course.

Magnus doesn’t know what to say to that, but he does know he needs to find out who this man is. Sooner rather than later.

“I’m Magnus,” he says, holding out his hand.

“Alec,” says the nurse, shaking it firmly. He doesn’t look particularly surprised at the change of subject. He probably gets this all the time, Magnus thinks. He supposes sick children aren’t exactly a pleasant topic of conversation in most circles. His mind makes a connection, then.

“Alec Lightwood?”

Alec’s eyebrows go up in surprise.

“Do I know you?”

Magnus laughs a little.

“No, no. I- I get your packages. I live in 3a.”

Alec’s furrowed brow smoothes.

“Oh, I see. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

Magnus waves dismissively. “No worries.“

His eyes sparkle with mischief, and he leans in to whisper conspiratorially. “I see you’re a… _**hard** ware_ enthusiast.”

Alec looks a little confused but nods. “I do a fair bit of tinkering.”

Magnus snorts. “That’s a _handy_ skill to have.”

Alec looks truly bewildered now. “I, uh… I guess? It’s been useful on occasion.” He runs a hand through the unruly waves of his hair.

“I’d better get going or I’ll be late for my shift. It was nice to meet you, though.”

“Likewise,” says Magnus. “Nice to have a face to go with the name.”

Alec smiles. “Now I can stop calling you Mysterious Neighbour in my head.”

Magnus grins at him. “Darling, in that context, you can call me anything you want.”

Alec looks a little stunned. Magnus continues, his face the picture of innocence, “Oh, did you say ‘head’? My bad… I thought you said ‘ _bed_.’”

Alec sputters, dumbfounded. He grimaces as he tries to figure it out. “Th-That doesn’t, uh… even… make… sense?”

Magnus shakes his head, wondering if he’s gone too far this time. But then he remembers that heavy package from the other day. A man who gives the Honey Pot _that much_ business should not be flustered by some teasing.

So he just grins again, full of mischief and teeth. “You can always come find me if you want me to explain it to you. I’m a very… hands-on instructor.”

Alec stares at Magnus for a long moment, completely bewildered, then he shakes himself, seeming to snap back to reality. He still looks a bit confused, but he shrugs and smiles a little.

“All right. Well, I need to go. Bye, Magnus.”

Magnus steps to the side to let Alec pass. He waggles his fingers at Alec and winks.

“Bye, Alec.”

When Magnus steps inside his front door, Chairman appears like clockwork. Magnus leans down to pet him absentmindedly, his mind occupied by hazel eyes and dark hair and unicorn scrubs. _Well, shit._

Why did he have to be so beautiful? More than that, why’d he have to be so _lovely_? A pediatric nurse, for fuck’s sake? Wearing _unicorns_ to comfort a sick child? _Fuck._ Magnus is _so_ fucked. And not in the fun way.

-

As Alec gets in his car, he’s a little distracted by his neighbour. He’s been living next to a man that beautiful for weeks and didn’t even know it? His name is Magnus, Alec remembers. And, unless Alec completely misread that conversation, Magnus is _very_ interested in him. Alec grins as he starts his car. The feeling might be mutual.

-

Walking into work, Alec groans to himself when he sees Jace at the nurses’ station. _Of course._ Jace is the bane of his existence, and Alec hates it when they’re scheduled to work on the same day. As Alec approaches, Jace looks up.

“Wow, Lightwood,” he says sarcastically. “Just when I thought I’d seen it all.”

Alec stiffens but refuses to respond.

When he first started out working here, Alec had worn plain old scrubs, but one day, on a whim, he bought some Spiderman ones on sale. Benny loved Spiderman, and Alec thought his favourite character might make the kid smile. The next day when Benny had seen him, he’d been overjoyed and regaled Alec with all his favourite stories from the comics.

When the little girl in the next room had seen him, she’d requested My Little Pony. Alec had almost said no, but then he thought about Benny’s enthusiasm and wide grin. _Fuck_ the voice in my head that tells me that men ‘shouldn’t’ wear things like that, Alec had thought. Despite how sick she is, I can make this kid happy. _That’s_ what matters.

He’d gone home and scoured the internet for the scrubs, having to special order them because apparently it was hard to find My Little Pony scrubs for men. When he’d worn them to work the next week, Madzie had beamed every time she saw him. Alec had decided then and there that anything he could do to bring a smile to these kids’ faces, to distract them from how hard their lives were just then… was completely worthwhile.

He’d been prepared for some odd looks, but he hadn’t been prepared for Jace’s response. Jace had always been kind of annoying, but he’d graduated to downright obnoxious once Alec started wearing the themed scrubs. He’d make all kinds of gendered comments, supporting Alec on the days he wore 'boy things' and ridiculing him all the other days. Alec doesn’t give a damn, not really, but he does find it tiring to deal with day after day. Jace is talking again. The sound of his voice pulls Alec from his reverie.

“When are you gonna man up and stop wearing girly shit?” All things considered, this isn’t anywhere near the most offensive thing Jace has ever said, but Alec can’t hold in a sigh.

“Lightwood!” calls a voice from behind him, and Alec turns, grinning at one of his favourite people.

“Roberts!” he replies, waving. When Maia walks up, they go through the convoluted motions of their secret handshake while Jace watches in envy masquerading as disgust.

For Alec, meeting Maia has been one of the best things about this job. They liked each other instantly and quickly became close, bonding over sarcasm and sass and their commitment to their patients. Now, he can’t imagine his life without Maia in it.

When they conclude their handshake by sticking their tongues out at each other and crossing their eyes, they dissolve into laughter. While they’re catching their breath, Jace interjects, “So, Roberts, when are you going to tell Lightwood to get some proper scrubs?”

Alec tenses. He may not rise to Jace’s baiting comments, but Maia’s another story. She’s fierce as hell and incredibly loyal, so she does not take kindly to people talking about her best friend like that.

Maia laughs easily and says, “When are _you_ going to get your head out of your ass and realise that gender norms are bullshit?” Alec relaxes. Sass is today’s weapon of choice. He can work with that.

Alec and Maia leave Jace at the nurse’s station and head out down the hall to start their rounds.

“You know he’s a fucking idiot, right?” asks Maia. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. What you’re doing is wonderful. For real.”

Alec smiles warmly at her. “I know,” he says. “Thanks.”

“Oh, hey,” says Maia, “Thank Izzy for that book recommendation. It was _dope_.”

Alec nods. Izzy and Maia’s friendship has been one of the unexpected bonuses of the Lightwood-Roberts movie nights that take place each time they’re both free on a weekend. “I’ll be sure to tell her.”

“Actually, just tell that sister of yours to give me a call. She owes me lunch.”

“Oh, really?” Alec raises his eyebrows in surprise.

“Yeah, dude,” says Maia, bumping her shoulder against his. “Villanova won, remember? I told her Michigan didn’t stand a chance.”

Alec doesn’t give a fuck about college basketball, so he just nods and smiles. “I’ll pass on your message of triumph,” he teases.

“You’d better,” says Maia firmly, but her lips are twitching. “You _know_ how seriously I take free food…”

Alec laughs. “Okay, okay,” he agrees, still chuckling. “I’ll tell her. I promise.”

They reach the end of the hall, bump fists, smile, and head off in opposite directions.


	4. March 31

The next day, as Magnus heads out the door to work, he glances at the door next to his and smiles a little at the thought of the beautiful man with the hazel eyes. Hopefully, Magnus will get to see him again sometime soon.

He’s a few minutes late, but that’s nothing new. It’s a running joke by this point, but each time it comes up, Magnus merely informs his coworkers that it takes extra time to look this fabulous.  
  
Magnus strolls into the office of his company, Events by Bane, and greets his coworkers. Dot’s busy updating their logo to include their new tagline. Ragnor is on the phone in his office. From his dour demeanour, he’s probably on the phone with their latest client, Imogen Herondale, whom he seems to despise more each and every day. Probably some new budget-related complaint.

Magnus waves to Raphael when he passes his desk. The quiet man nods in response. Magnus would never admit this aloud, but he finds the new admin person… unsettling. When they’d started Events by Bane, it had just been him and Ragnor. Magnus planned the events and Ragnor handled the money. As they’d grown, Dot joined them to assist Magnus and help out with marketing and design on the side. Eventually, they’d had to admit that there was simply too much work for the three of them to handle, and they’d begun the search for someone to help out with administration, thereby freeing them up to focus on their strengths. Magnus had expected a quick search, but it was merely the beginning of a nightmarish process. Raphael is the latest in a long line of candidates. Ragnor has hated every single one without exception. But he actually seems to like Raphael. He even really gets along with him, which no one saw coming. Raphael’s stalwart strength and Ragnor’s gruff brilliance… frankly, Magnus is more than a little scared of their combined powers.

It’s not that Raphael is unpleasant, per se. He’s just not friendly or outgoing, preferring to keep to himself rather than engage in harmless chatter. For all his surly demeanour, though, Magnus has to admit that Raphael is incredibly efficient and competent. And Ragnor gets along with him like a house on fire. He’s even _smiled_ at Raphael. More than once this week. And Raphael smiled _back_. So yeah, Magnus gets nervous thinking about what the two of them could accomplish together. So sue him.

Speaking of Ragnor, Magnus fully expects to get an earful from him when they next speak. He happened to be out of the office for the last week, which included the meeting where they’d selected the tagline for their company. He’s healthy as a horse, but whenever he does get sick, he’s out for a while. He’d insisted they go ahead with all the usual business, including the branding meeting, but Magnus has a sneaking suspicion Ragnor will _not_ approve of their selection. Magnus loves it, though. He giggles every time he thinks of it. Events by Bane: We Do Them All. It’s _perfect_.

Magnus plans all kind of events. There’s no gathering too intimate or jamboree too lavish for Events by Bane, which is one of the reasons he loves their new tagline so much. The other, of course, is the play on words. _Everyone_ knows Magnus loves a good innuendo.

-

By mid-morning, Magnus is feeling his usual slump. Somehow, no matter how hard he tries, he never manages to get ready early enough to grab coffee or breakfast before work. So, as usual, he asks Raphael to go down the street and pick up some coffee for the office.

Raphael nods, grabs his coat, and heads out the door to their regular coffee shop, Java Jones. As he walks down the street, collar turned up against the chilly breeze, he spots a new place: Brew Me. He’s walked this route for months, wondered what the new spot would be like. They must’ve opened over the weekend. He changes course, smiling a bit when he thinks how much Magnus will appreciate the name.

Raphael pushes open the door, inhaling the fragrance of espresso and freshly baked yeast breads. The decor isn’t really his style, all bold colours and graphic decor, oddly reminiscent of a comic book. Plus, the place is _packed_. He almost leaves but decides he should give this place a chance. If it’s no good, he won’t be back.

He approaches the counter and hears the tail end of an argument taking place between the two baristas. He doesn’t know how they’re managing to hold a coherent conversation amidst the chaos of the bustling coffee shop, but they’re moving in perfect sync, pausing their chatter only to take new orders and call out names.

“You _have_ to finish it, Izzy!” The guy with the glasses looks almost pained as he pleads with his coworker.

“I can’t do it, Simon! I can’t handle the pain!” The brunette barista - Izzy, apparently - waves her arms around, somehow managing not to spill hot frothy milk everywhere. “I know it can’t end _well_ \- he _dies_ , for fucks’s sake!”

“It _does_ , though! I… I can’t tell you how without spoilers, but… like. Just trust me, Iz!” The one named Simon runs a hand through his hair. “I mean… yeah, Hamilton dies, but… the way it happens is so poetic and tragic. The juxtaposition of Hamilton and Burr - two sides of the same coin - that’s evident throughout the musical finally comes to its heartbreaking conclusion. And, yeah, it’s super fucking sad, but… it’s so beautifully done, like, I can’t even _tell_ you...”

They’re so absorbed in their discussion that they don’t even notice Raphael enter. He just stands there watching the two of them. Once he realises they’re discussing Hamilton, he listens closer. Just because Raphael doesn’t go around talking about musicals all the time doesn’t mean he lives under a _rock_. And Hamilton is incredible, okay? Plus, he’s been a fan of Lin Manuel Miranda’s since In the Heights. Now _that’s_ how to handle a lack of representation.

Without a pause, the barista continues, “And then, of course, there’s Eliza. Izzy, she’s an absolute _badass_. She is my _queen_. And Lin… Lin gives her the voice she deserves, the one history had taken from her, gives her all the power and agency in the end as we find out how Hamilton’s story was preserved, how his legacy truly lives on. It’s… _ugh_. It’s fucking _beautiful_ , okay, and you _have_ to listen to it or else I will unfriend you in. real. life.”

Raphael smiles a little as the rant draws to a close. The guy - Simon, he knows now - is so passionate. It’s kind of cute. And where did _that_ thought come from?

Izzy’s opening her mouth to reply when the person ahead of Raphael in line clears their throat loudly. Simon’s head whips around. “Sorry, sorry. Be right with you!” he calls out cheerfully as the person grumbles loudly. Once again, Raphael wonders how they’re managing to keep this conversation going in the middle of the morning rush, but they seem completely unfazed by the flood of customers.

Simon deals with the rude customer and then he’s grinning expectantly at Raphael. And _damn_ , that’s a great smile, all kinds of endearing. Raphael gives Simon the office coffee order.

“Name?”

“Raphael.”

Izzy’s busy with the next customer in line, so Simon makes all the drinks.

When Simon puts the first coffee in the drink carrier, Raphael catches sight of the bold, messy handwriting and picks up the cup to read it properly. He chuckles when he sees the name: _Rafayette_. Clearly, Simon’s got Hamilton on the brain. (And when did he become _Simon_ in Raphael’s mind?)

Simon looks up and catches him laughing. “Oh, crap,” he says. “Did I get it wrong again? I’m sorry. A bit distracted.”

Raphael holds out the cup so Simon can see it. He looks horrified. “ _Shit._ Sorry, man. I, uh-”

Raphael cuts him off. “No worries. I overheard you talking about the show earlier. You can tell your friend she definitely needs to finish it.”

Simon lights up. “I _know!_ I keep _telling_ her, but…” He yells over his shoulder. “See, I told you, Izzy! This guy agrees that you need to finish Hamilton!”

Izzy just waves at him dismissively, busy with the next order.

Simon quickly prepares the other drinks and settles them into the carrier. Raphael turns to go with a nod of thanks, then turns back. “If you like Hamilton, you should check out In the Heights,” he says, too quickly.

“What’s that?” asks Simon. “Sorry, I couldn’t hear you.”

“If you like Hamilton, you should check out In the Heights,” Raphael says again, louder. “It’s Lin’s first musical. Completely different from Hamilton, of course, but equally amazing in its own way.”

Simon looks surprised but nods. “Thanks, man. I’ll do that.”

Raphael leaves.

-

Simon watches the quiet man thread his way through the crowd until he loses sight of him. Izzy snaps her fingers to get his attention.

“A little help over here?”

“Sorry, Iz,” he mumbles, quickly falling back into the routine of things.

But for the rest of the day, he keeps having flashes of that cute guy from this morning. Mistakes happen, and Simon isn’t generally fussed about them, but _Rafayette_ is just plain ridiculous. The guy hadn’t seemed to mind though. He’d just chuckled. He had a nice laugh, warm. It lit up his face. And Simon already know that, if he comes back, Simon’s gonna try to make him laugh like that again.

-

Raphael heads back to the office. The frigid temperature hasn’t changed, but for some reason, it doesn’t bother him as much.

When he gets back, he hands out the drinks. As he suspected, Magnus _does_ greatly appreciate the pun of the new coffee shop’s name. They all agree the coffee is better too, so it seems Raphael will be heading back to Brew Me in the near future. He thinks of the passionate barista and smiles slightly. He wouldn’t mind the opportunity to see him again, find out what else makes him talk a mile a minute, his eyes shining with enthusiasm.


	5. April 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In April...
> 
> Alec accidentally discovers Magnus' kryptonite. Magnus is a snarky shit on more than one occasion.
> 
> Maia discovers the Lightwood fondness for High School Musical.
> 
> Raphael becomes a Brew Me regular.

Alec loves spring, always has. The reminder that even the seemingly endless dreariness of winter must come to an end. The signs of growth, little green shoots here and there, the weather warming up, flowers bursting into bloom from one day to the next… he loves it all. All week, he’s been walking around with a smile on his face, a spring in his step.

Today, Maia brought in some wildflowers from her garden, and Alec’s admiring how their cheerful beauty brightens his kitchen. He’s in the middle of cooking dinner when his doorbell rings.

Alec can’t help smiling when he opens the door and sees Magnus. Just because he hasn’t seen Magnus in a while doesn’t mean he hasn’t been thinking about him. Alec’s only human and the man is _beautiful_ , okay. So, yeah. Magnus has definitely been on his mind. And now, here he is.

-

Magnus hasn’t seen Alec in over a week. He assumes that’s due to their schedules not overlapping or something, but that doesn’t stop him from being disappointed.

Well, he hasn’t seen the man himself. There have been a total of three more packages on his doorstep addressed to Alec - one on Tuesday and two tiny ones on Friday - that Magnus carefully deposited where they belonged. With each one, Magnus is increasingly intrigued by his neighbour. Who could _possibly_ need that many new sex toys? And _why_? He never sees anyone else coming or going and never hears any telltale signs from next door. But why buy them if you’re not going to use them? Magnus really doesn’t have a clue, but he certainly wants to find out.

Finally, he’s had enough. He’s still cobbling together a bullshit excuse when he rings the doorbell.

But then, Alec opens the door and Magnus forgets all about his manufactured reasons for coming over when Alec smiles at him, because… _hot damn_. What a _smile_. He grins in response.

Alec steps back, and Magnus walks into Alec’s apartment. He doesn’t even know what he was about to say, because he’s barely three steps inside when he starts sneezing violently. That can only mean one thing… he looks around for the culprit, glaring when his eyes fall on the vase of wildflowers.

Alec draws closer, looking concerned. “Are you alright?” Magnus wants to reassure him, but he’s in the middle of a sneezing fit, so that’s not really an option. Alec looks from Magnus to the flowers and back again, seemingly making the connection. And then, the bastard _laughs_ , and that is _not_ okay. Magnus lifts his chin and turns the power of his glare on his neighbour.

Between sneezes, he informs Alec, “Seasonal allergies-”

“Are nothing to _sneeze_ at?” says Alec with an snort.

Magnus glares harder. _Is this thing on?_ It might as well be out of batteries for all the good it’s doing him right now.

Alec continues, snickering. “Or… were you going to say they’re the _bane_ of your existence?”

For a moment, Magnus forgets to glare. _How does he know my name?_ he wonders, then mentally smacks himself upside the head. _It’s on my door. Duh._ Magnus wants to wipe that dumb smirk of Alec’s face and stop his snickering. This isn’t _funny_ , dammit. He starts to tell Alec that, but he’s hit with another violent sneezing fit.

At first, Alec continues to laugh, but as time goes on and Magnus continues sneezing, helpless to stop it, Alec’s expression changes to worry. He looks around, considering, then takes the offending blooms out onto the balcony, shuts the door, and turns up the air. He comes back over to Magnus, putting a hand on his back. “Are you okay?”

Magnus _hates_ this whole thing. Hates the sneezing, the runny nose, the itchy eyes, the sense of helplessness. Hates Alec seeing him like this. Magnus hates _spring_. Gradually, with fresh air flowing through the apartment and those torturous flowers gone, he’s able to calm down.

“Yeah,” he gasps, still trying to get his breath back. “I’m okay.” Now that he’s not sneezing himself to death, he notices the warm pressure of Alec’s hand rubbing his back soothingly. It’s so _nice_.

Alec heaves a sigh of relief and takes his hand off Magnus’ back, stepping back.

Magnus misses Alec’s hand almost immediately, but he can’t think of any way to get it back right now. Not without nearly dying again, and he’s not the biggest fan of that idea. The problem with Alexander - and when did he start calling him that? - is that Magnus thinks he could actually _like_ the man, even from the tiny glimpses of Alexander’s life and personality he’s seen so far. And because of that, he can’t rush this, can’t jeopardise the potential for something good and real and lasting just because the man’s ridiculously gorgeous (and apparently, kinky as hell and insatiable to boot, what with the frequency of the deliveries and all).

Alec excuses himself for a moment and fiddles around in the kitchen for a minute, then returns to Magnus, handing him some tissues he’d grabbed on the way.

“Thank you,” says Magnus gratefully. He dabs at his watery eyes, then hesitates before shrugging and blowing his nose, loud and trumpet-like. There’s just no graceful way to properly blow your nose, but oh well.

Alec looks at him expectantly. “So, Magnus. What’s up?”

Magnus looks at Alec blankly.

Alec prompts, “You rang _my_ doorbell. And not that you’re not welcome, but I need to finish making dinner, so… what’s up?”

Magnus grins cheekily. “Me, if you play your cards right…”

Alec rolls his eyes, but it comes across more fond that it has any right to be, considering how little they know each other. “Okay, but really.”

Magnus relents. “Honestly, I can’t remember,” he says, which is partly true. The other part is that he never did come up with an excuse to see Alec today.

“Well, do you… want to stay?” offers Alec, looking a bit surprised, as if he hadn’t meant to say that.

Magnus blinks. “Alexander,” he purrs, “are you asking me to stay over?”

Alec laughs. “For dinner,” he clarifies. “Dinner _only_. Considering we’ve only just met…”

Well. Most people don’t respond this well to Magnus’ incorrigible use of puns and innuendos. He can have some _fun_ with this one… In a way, he’s grateful for the reminder, though. He’s been attracted to Alec since the moment they met, so much so that he’s almost forgotten all his usual self-preservation skills and presence of mind. He’s been swept away by the giddy fun of flirting with this gorgeous man and nearly forgotten that he can’t do this. Not now, at least. Magnus’ mind drifts back to the year before. To Camille.

-

Camille was a mistake from the start. Magnus knows that now, but at the time, he was mesmerised, enamoured. She was beautiful and smart and enjoyed wordplay nearly as much as he himself did. What wasn’t to like? So Magnus tumbled head over heels into love, and in the beginning, things were good. Good enough that he was able to excuse the things he noticed about Camille. That for all her attractive qualities, she wasn’t kind or caring, didn’t value or reciprocate his love in the same way.

Whenever Magnus felt any doubt about whether this was a good idea, he threw himself into the relationship, showering Camille with affection, assuaging his nagging concerns by focusing all his attention on her. As time passed, Camille demanded more and more of Magnus.  She wanted him to spend all his time with her, never doing anything without her permission, which she gave so rarely that he stopped asking. Initially, he believed this was a sign of deepening love and agreed readily, but it got to a point where nothing Magnus did was enough. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t please her.

Eventually, his friends staged an intervention. They’d been watching from a distance for some time now and knew he needed to get away. He fought them, arguing passionately that Camille wasn’t like that, that what they had was real and true and _love_. They talked round and round in circles until his friend Catarina pulled up a chair and started talking. She began telling a story of a friend, describing their situation, and asked Magnus what he thought that friend should do. He began to answer and then stopped, understanding the comparison she was making, finally able to see his relationship with a little more perspective. And it wasn’t good. It wasn’t even okay. It was unhealthy. Camille was controlling. She isolated him from his friends and family, his support structures. They only ever did what she wanted. It was a difficult thing to wrap his mind around, but it was the beginning of so many good things.

He got out of the relationship and the situation as soon as he could. It was hard and it hurt, but he did it with his friends’ help. He moved to this apartment. He started seeing a therapist, Celia. On her advice, he began getting back out there and rediscovering the things he enjoyed doing. It was hard at times, realising how much he’d given up during his time with Camille, but fun and freeing as well.

The first time Magnus went clubbing again, he saw a cute guy at the bar. Their connection was immediate and electric and Magnus thought, _This is it. I’m ready._ Until they went back to Julio’s place, and Magnus had a panic attack in the bathroom. He had to excuse himself and head home, calling Catarina for moral support.

He went back to see Celia the next day. She suggested he take an intentional break from dating for a certain amount of time, just to take the pressure off. So he could go and do the things he enjoyed without the pressure of sex or intimacy just yet. Just the thought was a relief, so Magnus immediately decided to do it, deciding to stay away from dating and relationships for one year. His self-imposed break will be in effect until November, so no matter how tempting Alexander may be, asking him out simply isn’t an option for Magnus right now.

-

Magnus startles, realising that he completely zoned out and Alec’s been trying to get his attention for a while. What did Alec say? Magnus wracks his brain trying to remember.

“I didn’t mean anything by it, Magnus,” Alec’s saying, looking a bit concerned by Magnus’ lack of response. “I was just making a joke. You don’t have to stay if you want to.”

 _Oh._ Right. Dinner. _Only_ dinner. Well, if it’s that’s all it is…

“Just dinner, huh?” asks Magnus. “I could go for some dinner. I think I have a bottle of wine and some dessert I can contribute.”

“No wine for me,” says Alec. “I have a shift later. But feel free. It’ll just take me a few minutes to get this together.”

Magnus retrieves the wine and tiramisu from his apartment and returns to Alec’s. When he’s in front of Alec’s door again, he hesitates before ringing the doorbell again. It feels weird to just walk in. He hears Alec yelling from the kitchen, telling him to come on in, and he makes his way to the kitchen.

“It’s nothing fancy,” says Alec, glancing up as Magnus comes in. “Fusilli with pesto and green beans, roasted chicken thighs, and salad.”

“That sounds delicious,” says Magnus, putting the wine and dessert down and leaning against the counter to watch.

While the pasta cooks, Alec chops a tomato and quickly puts together the salad, adding spinach and shredded carrots and mixing well before setting it on the counter with the dressings.

Alec adds pasta to pesto and mixes, adding a little of the cooking water until the consistency is right. He grabs a little parmesan from the fridge and grates it into a bowl. He moves the chicken and pasta to the counter, then stands back, looking over everything to make sure he hasn’t forgotten anything.

“Serving from here okay?” he asks, looking over his shoulder as he gets two plates out of the cupboard.

“More than okay,” says Magnus, impressed with Alec’s competence in the kitchen.

They fill their plates and take a seat at the dining table, and just like that, they’re having dinner together.

-

After dinner and dessert, Magnus offers to help with dishes and cleanup, but Alec won’t hear of it.

“I actually need to get ready for work, so I’ll have to clean up later,” he says.

“Oh shit. Have I made you late?” asks Magnus, concerned. _That_ would be a terrible second impression, and he doesn’t want to mess up this friendship. Because that’s all it can be right now, even if dinner with Alec has made him wistful for more.

“Not much,” says Alec with a grin. “I’m a little behind, but I don’t mind. This was nice, Magnus. Thanks for staying. It’s been a while since I had anyone over for dinner.” He stops suddenly, as if he hadn’t meant to say that.

“I had a wonderful time, Alexander,” Magnus says, meaning every word. “Thank you so much for having me. And… everyone else is missing out if they don’t get to eat your cooking. Everything was delicious.” Because whatever it is that made Alec hesitate just now, Magnus wants to reassure him. He smiles, bright and a bit mischievous, and leans in as if to share a secret. “And I had the _best_ dinner companion. Incredibly charming _and_ a great conversationalist.”

Alec smiles, and it reaches all the way to his eyes, full and beautiful. Magnus’ heart does a funny little flip at the sight of it, but he ignores it.

“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” Alec says, still smiling. He glances at the wall clock and sighs. “Unfortunately, I really do have to get ready for work.”

“Maybe sometime I can watch,” Magnus teases, unable to resist one last comment.

Alec flushes just a little, and Magnus loses his train of thought for a moment. He shakes himself. “Right. Yes. I’ll get out of here, then. See you around, Alec.”

“Yeah,” says Alec. “See you, Magnus.”

-

When Magnus opens his door, Chairman comes trotting up. He picks up the little cat and settles onto the sofa, absentmindedly stroking his soft fur as he thinks about his time with Alexander.

The food is delicious, the conversation is light and flowed freely, and the man across the table is even more disarming when he is at ease.

All in all, it's unexpectedly delightful, the best evening Magnus has had in a long while.

-

Alec closes the door behind Magnus and quickly puts away the food, shoving the dishes into the sink and running some water over them. He’ll have to wait until later to deal with them or else he really _will_ be late. He goes to the bedroom and changes into his scrubs. Wonder Woman is the theme of the day. Ja’Din’s request this time. Alec’s face softens at the thought of the little boy. He might only be six, but he’s one of the bravest humans - of any age - Alec has ever met, facing down the monsters of his illness with unflagging optimism and a blinding smile.

As Alec heads for the door, he catches sight of the vase of flowers sitting on the balcony and grins at the thought of Magnus. His mind wanders over the memory of the their time together tonight.

He’d been so surprised to see Magnus on his doorstep. Surprised in more ways than one. After their first meeting, he’d told himself he must not be remembering correctly, that Magnus couldn’t possibly be _that_ attractive. Magnus had certainly proved him wrong today, standing there looking like… well, Alec doesn’t really have any accurate comparison. Magnus is… _beautiful_ , tall and strong and built, with hair that defies gravity and a face that’s honestly a bit breathtaking, all planes and angles with those lovely _eyes_ and that mischievous _mouth_. His style is bright and eclectic, unhindered by convention. He wears makeup and wears it well.

Today was no different. Magnus must have just come from work since he was wearing fitted black dress pants, black loafers, and a white button-up, but as usual, he’d made the look his own, rolling up the sleeves of the shirt to highlight his impressive biceps and adding a paisley waistcoat to complete the ensemble. His makeup was just right, his skin glowing, his lips barely tinted, his eyes the focal point of his face. Alec just hopes he was discreet in his admiration because he certainly couldn’t stop himself from looking and appreciating Magnus’ appearance.

Alec shakes his head, laughing at himself for how distracted he is by Magnus. He grabs his keys and wallet and leaves. As Alec gets into his car, he’s still thinking about Magnus, still smiling about his allergies. He hadn’t been able to keep from laughing at first. It had been so endearing to see Magnus glaring his eyes out at some flowers like they’ve personally offended him while he sneezes his head off. He probably shouldn’t have found Magnus so adorable like that, but he had, at least until his concern overtook his amusement. It was just that he’s seen Magnus a few times outside of their first meeting. Fleeting glimpses in the parking lot and the like. Magnus is always so put together, so immaculately groomed and gorgeous, and Alec found it hilarious that all of that could be undone by a few _daisies_.

And then… he’d touched Magnus. It hadn’t been a conscious decision on his part. He’d just needed to try to help, to do _something_. As innocent as the touch was - just a hand on Magnus’ back - Alec hadn’t wanted to stop. He’d been reluctant to pull his hand back, just wanting to keep touching Magnus, but without Magnus’ allergies acting up, he hadn’t had an excuse anymore.

 _God_. What is it about Magnus? Alec’s not sure he’s ever been so instantly attracted to anyone in his life.

As he drives to work, Alec wonders why he asked Magnus to stay. He hasn’t invited anyone new into his home for a while, much less someone he’s attracted to. He’s still not sure why he asked Magnus to stay, except that once Magnus was there in his home, Alec hadn’t wanted him to leave. Not quite yet. He’s glad he asked and equally glad Magnus accepted. It was nice to just relax and have fun. Talk. With no pressure or expectations.

It’s not that Alec doesn’t want the possibility of more with Magnus. In fact, it’s something he’s very interested in, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s only met the man once. Well, twice now. For all he knows, Magnus is a secret asshole. Or in a relationship, though he doesn’t think so, based on how flirtatious Magnus is towards him. But even though it’s been a while since Alec’s last relationship, he doesn’t want to rush into anything. Particularly with his next door neighbour. If _that_ goes wrong, it’ll be hella awkward. And he likes this apartment, plus he has a two-year lease. It’s not worth the risk. Becoming friends with his neighbour, though? _That_ he can handle. Even - or perhaps especially -  if that comes with a side portion of ogling and innuendo. And, apparently, the use of his full name. Alec’s never liked hearing all four syllables. It always makes him feel like a child in trouble. But somehow, when Magnus says it, it sounds different, slow and drawled and pleasant, sending a trickle of warmth down Alec’s spine.

-

Alec’s humming as he walks into the hospital. Maia’s not working tonight but neither is Jace, so he resigns himself to a boring shift catching up on paperwork unless there’s an emergency. He hopes not, though. Emergencies in his line of work mean someone’s in pain or dying, and he would do anything in his power to spare his patients that.

But the paperwork can wait. First, Alec goes to see Ja’Din. Alec knows the little guy hates going to sleep without saying a proper goodnight, and it’s even more important today, since today's outfit is Ja’Din’s request. Alec knocks softly on the door of his room and pokes his head in.

“I believe someone asked for Wonder Woman?” he says, grinning.

“Alec! Alec! I wanna see!” The little boy sits up, smiling from ear to ear. If it wasn’t for his condition, he’d be bouncing up and down with excitement, but he’s surrounded by wires and IVs and has learned the hard way not to pull at them. Alec hates that the kid has to be careful, has to worry about such things. But he can’t do anything about that. The only things he can do are provide top-notch care and let Ja’Din know he’s not alone.

Alec steps into the room, showing off the black scrubs patterned all over with Wonder Woman’s classic insignia. Ja’Din’s mouth falls open in an ‘O’ of delight.

“You look _amazing!_ ” he squeals.

Alec laughs and does a dramatic turn, arms outstretched to be admired.

Ja’Din claps and giggles, and as Alec beams at him, he knows - despite all the ups and downs and stress and weird hours and heartbreak of seeing kids in pain - that he has the best job in the world.


	6. April 14

Whenever Maia and Alec are both off on a weekend night, they have a tradition: Lightwood-Roberts Movie Nights, otherwise known as LRMN (pronounced ‘Lerman’ for the uninitiated aka that asshole at work). Generally, Maia supplies the snacks and Alec hosts because his TV is bigger. Simon and Izzy join them when they can. Tonight, it’s them and Izzy because Simon’s working a late shift at Brew Me. It’s been so long since the last movie night that none of them can remember when it was, so they’re determined to go all out this time.

Maia shows up promptly at 7 to prepare the first and most important part of the tradition: homemade stovetop popcorn with copious amounts of butter. The good stuff, too, none of that fake shit. Maia smiles as she recalls that their agreement on this crucial point was what actually gave them the idea for LRMN.

Izzy arrives a little later, bringing chips and dip. Maia and Alec look at each other warily until they realise the dip is store-bought, then they heave a sigh of relief. As Alec and Maia know only too well, Izzy is brilliant and caring and smart and nerdy and has a abundance of other good qualities, but culinary skills are not among them.

The three of them settle onto the couch with their snacks and drinks of choice and begin to bicker about what movie to watch. Eventually, they settle on High School Musical because Maia’s never seen it. Izzy declares this a travesty, and Alec agrees.

“Remember when it came out? As if seeing it four times in theatres wasn’t enough, you watched it every day for _months!_ ” he teases.

Izzy swats Alec’s shoulder. “And _you_ watched it with me,” she shoots back.

“Well, yeah,” says Alec, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “I’m the world’s best big brother. We all know _that_.” He rolls his eyes.

“Uh huh,” says Izzy, unconvinced. She leans in for the kill. “And it had _nothing_ to do with Zac Efron?”

Alec stutters and blushes, clearly caught off guard. Maia guffaws. She’s been enjoying watching the two of the banter back and forth, but this? This is _too good_.

“Wait, hold on,” she says. “Time out. _Zac Efron_ , Alec? Really?!”

Alec blushes harder. “I thought he was cute, that’s all,” he mumbles.

“I knew it!” Izzy crows triumphantly, raising her fists above her head.

“So what was it about that pasty teenage boy that had you watching this movie for months?” asks Maia, grinning. She’s definitely going to milk this opportunity for all its worth. Alec may be her best friend, but that just means she knows a good opening when she sees one.

“I don’t… I didn’t… just… the singing and the dancing,” says Alec, the words finally coming out all in a rush. “And I… related to him trying to be what other people expected of him.”

There’s silence for a moment as they all consider this. Then Maia and Izzy catch each other’s eyes and break into peals of laughter. Alec sinks deeper into the couch covering his face.

“Just… leave me _alone_ ,” he says, red-faced.

“Awwww,” coos Izzy, leaning against him and cozying up to him. “Is my big brother _embarrassed_?”

Maia flops down next to Alec as well and elbows him firmly in the side. He jumps and makes a noise of protest.

“You love us,” Maia says with a grin. “What would you do without us?”

Alec slowly lowers his hands. He sighs heavily. “It’s true,” he admits. “I do love you…” Amidst the yells of delight, he says loudly, “Okay, but can we watch the movie now?”

“You just wanna see _Zac Efron_ ,” Maia says.

Alec laughs, ears still red. “Yeah, okay. I wanna see if my teenage self had decent taste or not.”

Maia looks at Izzy. “Well, we _know_ the answer to _that_ already.”

Izzy nods decisively. “Obviously. Chad’s clearly cuter.”

“Okay, okay!” Alec says, laughing and waving his hands. “Enough ganging up on me! Let’s just watch the damn movie.”

He presses play, and they settle back to watch. As the movie begins and they see teen Zac Efron on the screen, Alec cringes so hard he curls up into a ball against Maia and very nearly hides his face in her shoulder. Maia’s laughing uproariously. She can already tell this is gonna be a perfect LRMN pick - totally great in the way only hilariously silly, nostalgic movies can be.

-

Near the end, a song starts playing. It’s some kind of salsa beat. Or some approximation thereof.

“ _Another_ song?” Maia halfway groans.

Sharpay and Ryan are on the screen again, wearing costumes that look truly ridiculous, but Maia’s spared the pain of having to watch them, because her friends are jumping to their feet and taking center stage, so to speak, in front of the TV.

And suddenly, they’re lip syncing and dancing. From the way they move, it’s clear this was once a well-practiced routine, and Maia can barely believe her eyes. Izzy, maybe, but _Alec_? This _is_ a surprise.

_I believe in dreaming_

_And shooting for the stars_

The song is dumb and far, _far_ too catchy, and they know every single word. It takes a few minutes before Maia realises that Alec’s playing the part of the diva, swaying and swiveling his hips like it’s something he does every day. For once, Izzy’s playing the sidekick, tipping her imaginary fedora and smiling wider than a used car salesman. When they reach the final notes, Izzy tosses her pretend hat to Maia. Maia pretends to catch it, beaming as she applauds and cheers wildly. Alec and Izzy strike a final pose, back to back, arms dramatically outstretched. Izzy looks pleased and triumphant, more beautiful than ever, but Maia’s attention is drawn to Alec for just a moment. He looks… more carefree and unburdened than she’s ever seen him, as if something about this takes him back to simpler times. It hurts her a little, to realise how rare it is to see him like this. But then her eyes are drawn back to Izzy, flushed with exertion and enjoyment, glowing like a beacon.

Alec and Izzy collapse back onto the couch on either side of Maia as the movie continues, nearing the end. They’re all laughing so hard they can barely breathe, both from the ridiculousness of the movie and just sheer silly fun.

Izzy keeps laughing, can’t stop even when she snorts, which only makes her laugh more. Alec gets up to get her a glass of water. Eventually, she calms down and collapses against Maia, and Maia has to take a moment. She likes Izzy, of course. Always has. They have a lot in common, not least a fierce and protective love for Alec. But there’s something about Izzy right now, jubilant and breathless and completely relaxed against her. Maia feels something shift as she looks down at Izzy, smiling. She wants Izzy to always be like this, carefree and happy. Wants to make Izzy laugh like this all the time. Wants… something _more_ … but she can’t think of that right now. This is Izzy. _Alec’s_ Izzy. His _sister_. And Maia won’t do anything to jeopardise her friendship with Alec. It’s too important to her. Even more than that, what if it didn’t work out between them? What if she hurt Izzy somehow? Maia would - could - never forgive herself. Then Alec’s back, reaching across Maia to hand Izzy a glass of water, and Maia shakes off the moment, the dangerous thoughts.

They finish the movie, Alec and Izzy getting up to sing and dance along with the finale while Maia cheers and laughs at their performance. They collapse, sweaty and smiling, back on the couch next to Maia. Maia grins at them. It’s been too fucking long since they did this. LRMN are the best.


	7. April 20

When Magnus arrives at work, he’s in a great mood. He’s leaning against Dot’s desk, regaling her with his plans for the weekend when Raphael beckons him over. Magnus waves goodbye to Dot and heads over to Raphael’s desk.

“Morning,” Magnus says cheerfully. “What’s up?”

Raphael leans forward conspiratorially. “Ragnor is _pissed_ at you,” he says in a low tone.

“Oh?” Magnus looks over at Ragnor’s office and blinks. Ragnor is in a _state_ , pacing back and forth. He stops dead in his tracks when he spots Magnus and strides over to his office door, flinging it open.

“Get in here, Magnus!” Ragnor barks loudly.

Magnus sighs. He glances at Raphael and mutters, “Thanks for the warning.” Raphael gives him a nod, but there’s a hint of a smile too. Magnus smiles back. The new guy just might be growing on him.

Magnus saunters over to Ragnor’s office, taking a seat in front of Ragnor’s desk and waiting expectantly. Ragnor sputters for a few minutes before finally blurting, “ _Chairs?_ ”

 _Ah._ So _that’s_ what this is about.

“They were a necessary expense, Rag-,” Magnus begins, but Ragnor interrupts him.

“ _Three. Thousand. Dollars._ ” His voice is deadly serious, his tone as cold as ice.

Magnus shrugs. “They were _perfect_ for our client’s colour scheme, Ragnor. Do you know how hard it is to find chairs in that particular shade of pale lemon?”

Ragnor slams his fist down on his desk, making a loud rattling noise, but Magnus doesn’t flinch. They’ve been through this kind of argument - discussion, Magnus says, though Ragnor disagrees vehemently - many a time before. Magnus is always going over budget on some item he considers indispensable, but which Ragnor thinks unnecessary. They never see eye to eye on this point.

“Furthermore,” Magnus continues, “when you consider the scale of the event, three dollars per chair is a _bargain_.”

“Bargain or not,” replies Ragnor grimly, “you’re cancelling the order.”

“Am not,” say Magnus, lifting his chin and smirking in that way he knows gets under Ragnor’s skin faster than anything else.

Ragnor growls. _Actually_ growls, and Magnus controls his face with difficulty. Because, well, it’s kind of fun to rile Ragnor up like this. And, yes, Magnus did spend three thousand dollars on chairs and has no intention whatsoever of cancelling the order. But that’s because, as always, Magnus has an ace up his sleeve.

“We only budgeted fifteen hundred dollars for chairs, and there’s simply no wiggle room for a cost increase of this magnitude!” Ragnor says emphatically.

“Uh huh,” agrees Magnus with a cheeky grin. “Not gonna cancel it, though.”

Ragnor is speechless with rage for a moment, and Magnus seizes his opportunity. He produces a business card from his inner pocket with the air of a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat and places it on Ragnor’s desk with a flourish. Ragnor eyes it suspiciously.

“What’s this?” he asks, voice gruff.

“Oh, nothing,” says Magnus airily, sitting back in his chair and crossing his legs like he hasn’t a care in the world. “Just Carla’s business card.”

“And who, _pray tell_ , is Carla?” Ragnor grinds out between clenched teeth.

“ _Carla_ ,” Magnus says, leaning forward with a glint of triumph in his eye, “is my new contact at the venue. _Carla_ is the one who has agreed - due to my considerable persuasive skills, of course - to give us a discount on the venue rental. _Carla_ , as it turns out, loves these particular truffles from that new place near me. She’s also susceptible to flowers. Daisies, in particular.” He grins.

“Long story short, Ragnor,” Magnus says, standing and putting his hands on Ragnor’s desk, leaning over him and grinning, wide and wolfish, “ _Carla_ is our secret weapon because _Carla_ has finagled us a discount of one thousand…” He pauses for effect. Ragnor looks at him impatiently and signals for him to hurry up. Magnus sighs and shakes his head. “ _One thousand seven hundred fifty_ dollars,” he finishes. He doesn’t bother to fill in the blanks. He knows Ragnor can do the math. Instead, he winks at Ragnor and stands, sauntering out of the office. He yells back, “You’re welcome!” Then he closes the door before Ragnor can throw a stapler or something at him. It never hurts to be cautious.


	8. April 25

Raphael has completely switched allegiances from Java Jones to Brew Me. In all fairness, it’s partly because the coffee is genuinely better for just a few cents more and partly because Magnus continues to be delighted by the innuendo of the name. The fact he wouldn’t mind seeing the cute barista again? Well, that’s just a bonus, and a bit of a theoretical one at that. He hasn’t seen the guy in almost a month.

But today, Brew Me is nearly empty, probably because it’s just before closing, and Raphael spots him right away. It looks like he’s finishing up sweeping the floor. Raphael wants to say hi but can’t remember his name. So he just waves and heads to the counter.

“Izzy’s in the back doing inventory, so if you can hold on for just a minute, I’ll be right with you,” the barista says.

“No rush,” Raphael replies, waving a hand. “I’m sure you’ve got plenty of shit to do before you lock up.”

The guy laughs and keeps sweeping. “You’re not wrong about that,” he says. He finishes up and goes behind the counter, putting away the broom and dustpan and washing his hands thoroughly before coming over to the register. Raphael looks at his nametag. _Simon_.

He looks at Raphael again, and his eyes widen. “ _Rafayette_ ,” he breathes, as a look of shock and horror spreads over his face.

Raphael laughs. “Well, it’s actually ‘Raphael,” but… yeah,” he says with a smile. “That was me.”

Simon still looks aghast. “Look, man… mistakes happen, but that… that was pretty bad. I’m sorry.”

Raphael shakes his head. “You guys were crazy busy. It’s really not a problem.”

Simon looks doubtful, but nods. “Thank you. Now… what can I get for you?”

Raphael places the office order. They go through the motions of the transaction, then Simons asks, “Raphael with an ‘f’ or a ‘ph’?”

Taken aback, Raphael smiles. Most people don’t think to ask. “‘Ph.’ But seriously, I didn’t mind the name thing from last time. Not at all.”

Simon grins. “Okay, then.” He scribbles out the name on the cup and writes something else instead. Raphael’s curious, but he waits until his order is ready, then picks up the cupholder and reads the name. He snorts and starts laughing.

_Phafael._

“Well, I must admit,” he says through his laughter, “ _that_ is a spelling I haven’t seen before.”

Simon gives him a cheeky grin. “You _said_ you didn’t mind.”

Raphael looks at him, still chuckling. “I did say that, and I really don’t.” He gives Simon a smile and a wave and heads out the door.

-

Raphael leaves, and Simon gets back to end of the day tasks, but he’s humming to himself now. He’s only seen Raphael twice, but he always looks so serious when he arrives. And today, he had dark circles under his eyes. And somehow, seeing him laugh before he left makes Simon feel like he’s done a good deed, like he’s improved someone’s day. And for whatever reason, Simon likes that thought. That he’s made today better for the quiet guy who comes in at odd hours, who didn’t mind when Simon made that ridiculous mistake the last time. Not to mention he’s cute and nice and patient and he has the prettiest laugh… Simon can’t help hoping Raphael comes back again soon. Seeing him smile gave Simon this kind of… warm, soft feeling in his chest. He really, really likes it.


	9. May 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In May...
> 
> Alec meets Chairman and discovers the power of cat therapy. Magnus melts.
> 
> Maia and Izzy independently freak out about the same thing.
> 
> Raphael smiles. Simon has butterflies.

Alec’s exhausted. It was a long shift, with more than a few emotionally draining cases. He’s home, but he’s still sitting in his car in the parking lot, too tired to go inside. He sits there for twenty minutes before he can muster the energy to move, then plods up the stairs to his apartment in a daze.

As he arrives on the landing, moving on autopilot to unlock his door, he hears a voice behind him.

“Well, hello, neighbour.”

It’s Magnus. Of course. Who else would it be? Alec nods to him and mumbles a tired hello.

“Are you alright?” Magnus’ voice is quiet. He looks concerned, and part of Alec wants to reassure him. But it’s nearly 8am, and Alec needs to sleep, so all he can manage is another nod.

“Hey,” says Magnus, his voice cutting through the haze of exhaustion for just a moment. “I bet you haven’t eaten. Let me get you some breakfast.”

Alec shakes his head. “Need to shower and sleep,” he says.

For once, Magnus doesn’t make a quip or go the innuendo route.

“Alexander,” he says. “Have you eaten since lunch - or whatever your nighttime equivalent is?”

“No,” Alec admits. He doesn’t know why Magnus is so insistent on this point.

“Go shower,” Magnus says. “Then come over. I’ll have food ready for you.”

Alec hesitates.

“Please, Alexander. I’ll just worry otherwise.”

Alec doesn’t have the energy to fight it, so he nods.

He heads in and takes a quick shower. It helps, makes him feel more human, but now his stomach is growling fiercely, so he heads next door.

-

“Fuck,” Magnus mutters, looking in his fridge. “Fuck fuck _fuck…_ ”

Why the hell did he invite his handsome neighbour over? This is a truly terrible idea, not least because he apparently has no food in the house. But Alexander had just looked so tired that Magnus had felt obligated to do something, try to help.

And now, he has to make some food appear out of thin air. He has eggs, he’s relieved to see. And… some cheese in the back of this drawer… Looks like he has a tomato or two as well, and some spinach. Okay, cool, that’ll work.

Magnus gets out the food and gets everything ready. He grates the cheese - it’s a few different types, but it won’t matter for this - and whisks the eggs together while the butter melts. He cuts the tomatoes and combines them with spinach and dressing for a quick salad. He waits another minute or two, then starts the first omelette. By the time he hears a knock at the door, it’s just about ready.

He opens the door and heaves a relieved sigh when he sees Alec standing there. Part of him hadn’t really thought Alexander would show. But here he is, slightly more alert than earlier though still nearly swaying on his feet with exhaustion. And how he manages to look so attractive even now is completely beyond Magnus. But that’s a secondary concern at the moment.

“Come in, Alexander,” Magnus says warmly, ushering him over to sit at the kitchen island. He serves up the omelette onto a plate, adds some salad, and slides it across to Alec. “It’s not much, but at least it’s hot and fresh.”

Alec looks surprised and pleased, his eyes sliding shut for a moment as he inhales. “Looks delicious, Magnus,” he says, voice hoarse with weariness but genuine and warm. “Thank you for this. Really.”

Magnus smiles. “My pleasure,” he says. “Now eat, Alexander. You look dead on your feet.” He turns to the stove and starts an omelette for himself.

“Long shift,” Alec mumbles, and Magnus turns to see him practically inhaling the omelette. “This is great, thank you,” he says, looking up and catching Magnus’ eye. “Really.”

Magnus shrugs, trying to ignore the pang of concern at the bruise-like circles under Alec’s eyes. “Just long?” he asks. “Or is there more to it?”

Alec looks at him, eyes sharp for a moment, then his shoulders sag. He shrugs. “Yeah, there were some tough moments. A kid was brought in who… didn’t make it. A couple of others came close. Busy night. Run off my feet. Didn’t get a chance to eat - or drink, really.”

“Speaking of,” says Magnus, dishing up his omelette, “I’m afraid I don’t have much, but there’s some cranberry juice? Or else milk or water. Sorry,” he says, wincing. “I promise I don’t usually invite people over for a meal unless I know I have food in the house.”

“Just water is fine,” Alec says with a chuckle, and it’s a fucking delicious sound. Magnus tries to hold back a shiver. He gets Alec a glass of water. Fortunately, he sees Chairman out of the corner of his eye and seizes the opportunity for a distraction. He pounces on the feline and picks him up. When he glances over at Alec, Alec’s already looking at him, eyebrows raised in surprise.

“And who’s this?” he asks, a soft smile playing on his lips, and Magnus groans inwardly. Nononono… if his hot neighbour likes cats too, he’s _fucked_. Still, he’s never claimed to be anything other than a masochist, so he walks around the island with Chairman in his arms.

“This,” he says, looking down at the cat and then up at Alec, “is Chairman Meow. Chairman, Alexander. Alexander, Chairman.” He takes Chairman’s paw in one hand and playfully bats at Alec’s shoulder with it. Alec puts down his fork and reaches out to shake Chairman’s paw solemnly, and it feels like something warm and fluffy explodes in Magnus’ chest. The little cat meows gravely, then leaps gracefully out of Magnus’ arms onto the island. Concerned for Alec’s meal, Magnus reaches for him, but Chairman just settles on the island right next to Alec for a moment, looking him earnestly in the face.

“He’s evaluating you,” Magnus explains in a hushed voice.

“I can see that,” Alec says, quiet laughter rumbling in his chest.

He looks right back at Chairman, waiting calmly for the cat to reach a verdict. After a long moment, Chairman yawns and gets up, springing off the island into Alec’s lap and curling up. Magnus makes a shocked noise, and Alec looks at him, a question in those hazel eyes.

“He, uh… he’s nice to guests but doesn’t usually take to anyone that way,” Magnus says, voice high with surprise, eyes still on the feline now dozing peacefully on Alec’s thigh.

Alec looks down at Chairman, lips turning up in a little lopsided smile that takes Magnus’ breath away. One big hand strokes gently over the grey and white fur, and Chairman’s body vibrates with drowsy purrs.

Magnus just stares, unable to look away.

_Fuck._

-

Alec pets the little cat on his lap, feeling the tension of the long shift seep out of him a bit at a time. He switches hands after a bit so he can keep eating without while still stroking the soft fur. The cat - named Chairman Meow because _of course_ he is - keeps purring and stays put, warm and reassuring, with a languid laziness that’s catching. Alec can’t stop smiling.

He keeps glancing at Magnus, but it seems Magnus doesn’t know what to say either. So he continues eating, smiling as Magnus comes to join him. They eat in companionable silence. Finally, reluctantly, Alec makes himself speak.

“Thank you,” he says, voice hushed. It’s ridiculous because it’s not as though the cat will mind, but… he just seems so peaceful, and Alec doesn’t want to disturb him. “I feel better. This helped. A lot.”

“Cat therapy works wonders,” Magnus says with a smile.

Alec shakes his head. “It’s not that,” he starts, then glances down at the cat sprawled out on top of him, unable to keep from smiling again. “Well, not _just_ that,” he says. “It’s all of it. The food and the company _and_ the cat therapy. Thank you. I didn’t even know I needed it.”

Full and content and finally relaxed, the exhaustion is setting in again. He tries to stifle the yawn, but it’s unavoidable.

Magnus laughs, but it’s soft. Kind. Alec likes the way Magnus laughs.

“You need to sleep, Alexander. Go home before I manhandle you into my spare room and tuck you in.”

Alec chokes a little at the thought and tries to cover it with a cough. He doesn’t know if Magnus meant it as an innuendo, but his mind conjures up all kinds of sexy possibilities at the words… and also another option, one where Magnus puts him to bed and pulls up the covers and gently kisses his forehead before whispering goodnight. For some reason, that’s the one that makes Alec’s heart thud against his ribcage, makes him swallow hard.

“Yeah, I… I should get home,” he says, after too long of a pause. Magnus just smiles, so either Alec covered that better than he thought or - more likely - Magnus is just too kind to let on that he noticed it.

Alec looks down at the sleeping cat. “I don’t…” he says softly, looking at Magnus a little helplessly as his tired brain refuses to supply him with the words he needs. Magnus gallantly solves the problem by reaching into Alec’s lap and taking Chairman in his arms with a murmured apology for the contact. Alec tries to ignore Magnus’ touch, telling himself it’s unavoidable, but his traitorous mind still gives him a few suggestions for other ways he could have Magnus’ hands on him.

“Um. Thank you,” Alec says, standing up. “I’m gonna… I’m gonna go.” He gestures to the door. “Thanks again. For the food. And the company.”

“Anytime,” Magnus says, with a smile that lights up his whole face. “Chairman and I…” He looks down at the cat in his arms with a soft expression on his face, then back up at Alec. “Chairman and I are happy to help anytime,” he finishes.

“Well, I appreciate that,” Alec says, smothering another yawn. “And now, bed.”

“Yes. Bed,” Magnus agrees, shooing him towards the door with his free hand.

Alec chuckles and obediently moves in the direction of the door. He pauses with his handle on the knob and turns back to Magnus.

“This was very kind of you. Thoughtful. Thank you.”

Magnus waves it off. “Next time, I’ll make sure I actually have food. Make you something fit for a guest.”

“It was delicious, Magnus,” Alec says, smiling without knowing why as he leaves. It isn’t until he opens the door to his own apartment that he realises the reason. _Next time._

As he brushes his teeth and rolls into bed, he’s surprised to find that the stress and emotional weight of the day have almost completely drained away. He drifts off without even realising it.


	10. May 15

As Alec makes his rounds of the quiet hospital halls on the night of May 14th, he checks his phone. 11:40. He waves hello to a few people he knows, gets a glass of water for a child who’s woken up, and checks again. 11:51. He chats with another nurse for a minute. 11:56.

Okay, this is getting too close. No distractions allowed. He keeps his phone in his hand as he continues on his circuit. 11:58.

He types his message. 11:59. His finger hovers over the button.

As soon as it hits 12:00, he presses it.

-

Over the years, the Lightwoods evolved a family tradition of competing to be the first person to say happy birthday. The tradition has evolved into a series of complex rules:

  1. The wishing must be done on the actual calendar day of the person’s birth (in their time zone, regardless of the wisher’s current location), and it may not consist of anything other than the exact words, “Happy Birthday, dumbass!” Not only that, but the words must be appropriately capitalised and punctuated. The rules are very strict on this point. That one was instituted after Izzy’s passionate defense of one particularly garbled message.
  2. In the case of any dispute about who has won, the wishee’s phone has the final say. Alec _may_ have resorted to some… ‘creative’ tactics (at least that’s what he’d called them, though the others labelled them ‘underhanded’) one year to create a version of their text conversation that would give him the victory he craved.
  3. The wishing must take place in the shared group text. Over the years, the circle of participants has expanded. In fact, that rule is Simon’s fault. He’d been genuinely distraught upon hearing he’d violated the sacred rules of conduct, so much so that they’d unanimously (well, after a bit of grumbling from Maia) agreed to count his victory. And then immediately added rule #4.
  4. Finally, only the wishee may announce the winner of the Lightwood Birthday Challenge. They may do so at any point during their birthday, and anyone who pesters them about it will be immediately disqualified. Rule #5 is completely and totally due to Maia’s competitive nature.



It’s all quite ridiculous, but at this point, they’ve been doing it so long that no one can even remember how it started. They don’t talk about it, each hoping the others will forget. And yet, somehow, no one ever does.

-

Alec wakes up and rolls over in bed to check his phone. Izzy must have been out late celebrating because she hadn’t sent out the announcement before he went to bed this morning. But surely by now… He smiles when he sees a pile of notifications for the group chat, scrolls up to see what the result was, and grins wide when he sees a trophy emoji next to the words: _Big Bro FTW!_ This announcement was followed by the usual sore loser behaviour from the others -  accusations of cheating and favouritism and unsportsmanlike conduct - followed by the only definitive way of settling the argument, a screenshot from Izzy’s phone. He sends a quick, self-congratulatory text ( _I’d like to thank the Academy…_ ) and gets out of bed.

Izzy responds right away. _And not your sister for being born?_

Alec laughs. _That too, I guess._

A minute later, he sends another. _Happy birthday, Iz. Love you._

And because he can’t resist being a snarky shit…

_Thanks for making me a BIG bro._

Alec ignores the immediate flurry of notifications and goes to take a shower.

-

The rest of the day isn’t too packed, thankfully. Alec cooks and gets a little work done, but then he has to get ready for Izzy’s party.

Alec groans as he looks at his watch. Of course, the place Izzy picked is halfway across town. And of _course_ it’s a club, something loud and trendy, no doubt. Even its _name_ \- Pandemonium - is loud. Literally. He snorts at his own joke.

He picks out a pair of black jeans - straight leg but fitted - and a deep green button-up shirt. He adds a little product to his hair and combs it through with his fingers. When he steps back from the mirror, he nods. That’ll do. God, it’s been a while since he went out anywhere. Even longer since it was for a date or sex. He sighs. Thinking about _that_ isn’t going to help anything.

He has to circle the block a few times to find parking because apparently, this place Izzy picked is popular, even on a Tuesday night. He finds himself fidgeting a bit as he approaches the entrance. It’s a good thing he isn’t here for a date or to try to pick someone up because this _really_ isn’t his scene. There’s no sign of Izzy or their friends, so Alec waits in the interminable line alone.

When he finally gets inside, it’s loud and _packed_ , people flocking to the dance floor as a new song starts. It’s nicer than Alec expected, everything sleek and modern. Still, with all the people, it takes him a little while to find the birthday girl.

“ _Alec!_ ” Izzy shrieks when she sees him. Clearly, they’ve already started celebrating, he thinks wryly. Alec goes over to join her, waving hello to Maia and Simon. Izzy marches over to him and throws her arms around his neck.

“Thank you for coming,” she says.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Alec replies warmly, smiling down at her. “You’re my favourite sister, after all.”

She smiles brightly at him. “Fuck yeah, I am!” She lets her head fall back, relying on her arms around his neck to keep herself upright. “It’s my birthday!” she yells. Maia and Simon and a number of strangers whoop and cheer. Alec grins.

“My lady,” he says, eyes crinkling at the corners when she grins broadly at his use of her childhood nickname. “Would you like another drink?”

“What do _you_ think?” she says, pitching her voice louder to be heard over the music.

“All right, all right,” Alec says with a laugh. “I’ll be right back.”

He gets another round of drinks, and the evening passes quickly in a haze of music and laughter and dancing and even more drinks.

Eventually, they settle on a couch in a corner of the club for a bit of a break and the grand reveal. They’ve all chipped in to get Izzy a VIP pass to Comic Con next year, which is a huge hit. She lets out an ear-splitting scream of delight when she opens the envelope, and Alec realises they’re grinning at her like a trio of Cheshire cats. He nods towards Simon, who flushes a little.

“It was Simon’s idea,” he tells Izzy, who turns to fling her arms around Simon’s neck. He hugs her back, beaming. A minute later, she’s scrambling over Simon to get to Maia and giving her a big hug too. Maia holds her tightly, rocking them from side to side, laughing as she murmurs something in Izzy’s ear. Alec’s not close enough to hear, but he can’t help but notice there’s an softness to Maia’s expression right now and her hands keep roaming gently over Izzy’s back like… like they want to touch.

It may be a weird thing to notice, but now that he has, Alec can’t help but wonder if Maia wishes there was something more between herself and Izzy. And Izzy, well… she seems in no rush to move on so maybe it’s mutual.

Now that Alec thinks about it, they’d be good together. For all her fun and mischief, Maia’s incredibly grounded. Izzy needs someone like that, ballast to keep her stable. They’re already a force to be reckoned with when they’re together. If they were _together_ , well… the world as it is might not survive. On the other hand, they’d probably create a better one out of the ashes, so that might not be a bad thing.

Alec looks up and sees Simon looking from Izzy and Maia to him and back again, a quizzical expression on his face. Alec just shrugs, not knowing what to say or whether his assumptions are correct.

Maia laughs again at whatever Izzy just said, then her eyes fall on Alec watching them, and it’s like her expression turns off. She still smiles brightly at Izzy, still laughs, but the depth of feeling in her eyes is hidden now.

Alec hates it. Whatever _that_ is, whatever’s going on in her head. He hates it with a burning, fiery passion. He grips the armrests of the chair, starting to get up, intending to do _something_ , though he’s not sure what, but then he stops himself and sits back down. This is not the time or the place to talk about this, plus they should both be sober if they’re going to get through a conversation about… this, whatever this is.

Instead, he smiles and clears his throat emphatically, making Izzy look up at him. She grins at him, fond and a little sheepish. "And my big brother!" She says with a bright smile, getting off Maia's lap and coming over to him, somehow managing not to stumble despite the alcohol and her precarious heels.. She perches on the armrest of the couch and leans heavily against him, looping her arms around his neck. "I love you, big bro, you know that?" she says warmly.

Alec smiles at her. "I do know that, my lady. And I love you too."

My lady. The nickname had grown out of playing knights and castles growing up. Adults - particularly their parents - had smiled indulgently at them and assumed Izzy was playing a princess or a lady, a damsel to be rescued. Izzy hated the very idea, flying into a rage each time it came up. Alec found a solution - he’d play the damsel and she’d play the knight until she calmed down, then they’d both be knights and slay the monster together. They didn’t refer to it very often anymore, but he’d used the term as a pet name for years after they’d outgrown the game. It never fails to make her laugh, which is why he still brings it up from time to time.

“’M a _knight_ ,” Izzy says, wrinkling her nose as she pouts.

“The best damn one there ever was,” Alec agrees with a fond smile. She pats his arm a little clumsily, apparently deeming that an acceptable answer.

The rest of the night passes in a bit of a blur. There's drinking, drinking, and still more drinking. Lots of dancing. Far too many shots. The next day is a bit torturous, but Alec wouldn't trade it for the world. His sister means more to him than anything.

Although, he does now have something to ponder where Maia and Izzy are concerned.


	11. May 25

A little over a week later, it's another LRMN. Maia came over early to get the popcorn ready. Simon's joining them this time, so it'll be the full cohort. Maia heats the pan and pours in the kernels, shaking it continuously, moving on autopilot.

She can’t stop thinking about the other night. She’d had a lapful of Izzy, and the experience had been far more intoxicating than any amount of alcohol. Izzy had smelt amazing and felt incredible in her arms and… she’d been so _close_ , whispering thanks and all her nerdy dreams for Comic Con until Maia couldn’t hear anything over the roar of blood in her ears. She can still feel the phantom of Izzy, her arms feeling empty, her body cold without her. That’s ridiculous, she tells herself, trying to shake it off. Totally ridiculous. This is Izzy we’re talking about. I can’t date _Izzy_.

Especially since she can’t get Alec’s face out of her head, his lips parted and brow furrowed as though the sight of them together was a puzzle he was trying to solve. And if there’s one thing in this world Maia isn’t sure she’ll survive, it’s the look of disappointment Alec will give her if he realises she wants to get it on with his little sister. Ergo, Izzy is _not_ an option. There. Done. Finished.

Except that, just like the real deal, the memory of Izzy in her arms is a persistent, pervasive thing.

And intrusive, too. Maia somehow missed the knock at the door, but she can't miss Izzy's entrance as she sweeps into the kitchen, smelling of her favourite indulgence, Dior’s _Hypnotic Poison_. Maia has no idea how she manages to carry herself with such poise even in jeans, but that's just how Izzy is. Unique and elegant and unexpected. Down to earth. Incredibly loyal. And okay, Maia has to stop this train of thought or it's just going to lead down the same rabbit hole she's been living in for the last ten days.

What the fuck is she going to do about her feelings for Izzy? How does she make them go away?

And then Izzy's arms are around her and she's hugging her close and Maia... Maia is weak, so she hugs Izzy back, trying not to sniff her hair and inhale her perfume like a fucking creeper. Fortunately, there's a knock on the door. Maia lets Izzy go with equal parts relief and reluctance and goes to let Simon in.

Except it's not Simon. It's a handsome, colourful stranger who looks equally surprised to see her.

"I-" she starts.

"Is-" he says at the same time.

They both stop and laugh. He motions to her to go first.

"I thought you were our friend," she says, still chuckling.

"Oh, I was looking for Alexander," he explains.

" _Alexander?_ " Izzy chimes in from inside the room, appearing like a vision to rest her chin on Maia's shoulder. Maia both resents and craves the intrusion in her personal space.

The man looks puzzled. “Yes?”

Izzy coos a little when she sees the stranger. “Oh, you’re _gorgeous_ ,” she purrs. “Are you here to see _my brother?_ ” Her voice is tinged with disbelief.

“Unless there’s another Alexander who lives here?” the man says, laughter in his voice.

“Magnus!” Maia hears Alec’s voice and turns. He sounds pleased and surprised and slightly panicked, though she supposes that’s not surprising considering his best friend and sister are both watching his… friend (?) like a hawk right now.

“Alexander,” the man - Magnus, apparently - says, giving Alec a full, bright smile. Maia’s eyes fly to Alec, unsurprised to see him flushing.

Izzy looks from Alec to Magnus, a slow, devilish grin spreading over her face. She looks at Maia and a silent decision passes between the two of them. They both love Alec dearly and know him better than most. And they can both tell that he wants this man. _Wants_ him. It’s in his face and voice and body, plain to be seen. And while they may not know Magnus, he’s currently smiling at Alec like he hung the moon so there’s a good chance he feels the same. It’s Izzy who breaks the moment. “Aren’t you going to introduce us, Alec?”

Alec shakes himself, as if he’d forgotten everything with Magnus standing in front of him. And sure, maybe that sounds a little dramatic even in Maia’s head, but then again, she’s never seen Alec like this. Sure, there have been the occasional flirtations and crushes and flings, along with plenty of one night stands, but this… this is new. This flushing, almost _bashful_ Alec who seems drawn to the man in the doorway like a moth to flame… Maia resolves to investigate this Magnus right away. Because if he dares to hurt Alec - _their_ Alec, she thinks, remembering the glance with Izzy - they’ll make sure he pays.

“Magnus,” Alec says, the name sounding somehow different in his mouth than it does in Maia’s head. Kind of… soft and fond. “Meet my best friend Maia and my sister Isabelle.”

Maia sticks her hand out and grins at Magnus. Oh boy. The man has no idea what he’s in for.

Maia and Izzy are so in tune it’s ridiculous. They adroitly manoeuvre Alec into agreeing that, yes, it would _indeed_ be nice if Magnus could stay for movie night... and then turn pleading eyes on Magnus, who promptly agrees, particularly when he hears there’s homemade popcorn (with plenty of butter) involved.

“I’m a sucker for the stuff,” he says. Maia thinks he might be a sucker for more than just the snack if the way his eyes keep drifting to Alec is any indication.

Izzy moves forward in that way that Maia can never quite find a word for - she’s far too graceful to ‘bounce,’ but there’s so much enthusiasm that it can’t be described as ‘gliding,’ and ‘walk’ is far too mundane… Maia gives up once again on finding the perfect word for it. It’s just the way Izzy moves, and like all things Isabelle Lightwood, Maia finds it both endearing and mesmerising.

Unfortunately, a call from Simon interrupts the interrogation Maia - and probably Izzy - had in mind. By the time they’ve dealt with the bad news that Simon’s covering for someone at work and won’t be able to join them, there’s no easy way to launch into: ‘Who are you and what are your intentions towards Alec?’ So, by unspoken agreement, Maia and Izzy migrate to the kitchen, ostensibly to make a second batch of popcorn, the first well beyond saving by the time introductions ended.

They busy themselves with making the popcorn, which is to say that Maia works on making it while Izzy leans against the counter, eating burnt popcorn and complaining about it. After a few attempts, Maia gives up on advising her to throw it away and not eat anymore.

After a few minutes, Izzy hisses her name. Maia turns in surprise to see Izzy jerking her head significantly towards the living room. Attempting to be at least slightly subtler, Maia turns her head to see Alec and Magnus perusing the movie collection. It’s not so much the fact of it as the way Alec’s body seems to lean towards Magnus’, the way his eyes keep drifting to Magnus’ lips.

“So…” Maia drawls. “That’s a thing, right?”

“Definitely a thing,” Izzy agrees.

“I’ve never seen him like that,” Maia says, frowning a little, her brow creasing.

“He’s got it _bad,_ ” Izzy says with a nod. “I haven’t seen him like this since Milo Keytower in sixth grade. Though of course there was less UST and more awkwardness then.”

“Was he the curly-haired one or the one who always got Alec into trouble?”

Izzy laughs. “The troublemaker, though he probably wasn’t a bad kid. It was just that Alec was so eager to please, he’d go along with anything Milo suggested. It wasn’t a recipe for success, that’s for sure.”

Maia grimaces and glances over at Alec and Magnus again.

“But this? We approve, yes?”

“Well, so far,” Izzy says with a toss of her unfairly glossy hair. “Magnus hasn’t given us any reason not to.”

“This will require some vetting, though,” Maia says, chewing her bottom lip. “We have to make sure he’s good enough. We can’t let this turn into another disaster.”

“Well, since the last one was in sixth grade, he’s probably overdue for another,” Izzy replies with a shrug.

“Yeah, but…” Maia starts.

“...This is _Alec_ ,” Izzy finishes. “I know, and you’re right. But Magnus seems perfectly lovely, and they’re clearly interested-”

“I think it’s cute how they can’t keep their eyes off each other,” Maia admits.

“Yeah, it’s adorable,” Izzy says, pushing up her glasses. “I definitely ship it. So I guess Operation Get Alec a Boyfriend at Long Last is a go?”

“We might need to rethink that name,” Maia laughs, “but otherwise? Yeah.”

Izzy bites her lip as she thinks, and Maia nearly burns the second batch of popcorn watching those perfect teeth sink into that gorgeous lip.

“Ooh!” Izzy whispers excitedly. “Operation _Malec?_ That should _totally_ be their ship name.”

Maia grins. “ _Yes._ Operation Malec is a _go_.”

They high five enthusiastically, quickly dropping their hands as Alec looks over at them, a frown creasing his brown like he’s suspicious. They give him matching wide-eyed, innocent smiles.

-

The evening is a success despite the surprise of Magnus showing up and staying, which Alec can’t pretend is unwelcome, no matter how nervous he is about the significant looks Maia and Izzy keep exchanging. They watch the Mummy, a perennial favourite. They’ve seen it so many times that they can quote it by heart. And they do, watching the entire movie on mute with Maia taking on Brendan Fraser’s character and Izzy as Rachel Weisz. In the love scenes, they swoon dramatically and play the roles with gusto, making everyone laugh.

“So what’s going on with those two?” Magnus says at the end of the night as he helps Alec clean up after the others have left.

Alec looks up in confusion. “Who?”

“Maia and Isabelle,” Magnus says. “There’s clearly something going on there.”

“You saw that too, huh?” Alec says. “That’s, uh, that’s new. I noticed it the other day at Izzy’s birthday party.”

“How do you feel about it?” Magnus asks.

“Two of my favourite people making each other happy? I couldn’t be happier,” Alec says, smiling at the thought.

Magnus smiles. “They seem like a good pair.”

“Yeah. They’re both passionate and loyal and really fucking smart and they have a lot in common... the more I think about it, the more I wonder why this didn’t happen years ago.”

“Sometimes it takes a while to see the person right in front of you,” Magnus says softly.

Alec looks up, wondering what’s going through Magnus’ mind, but Magnus doesn’t say anything else and Alec doesn’t want to push. This thing between them, fraught with possibility… it’s too new, too fragile. He’ll cultivate it a while longer, let it grow and bloom. Like the spring flowers Magnus is so terribly allergic to. The thought makes him chuckle.

“What are you thinking about?” Magnus asks.

“Oh, just how funny it was to see you sneezing your head off and glaring at my harmless flowers.”

“They are _not_ harmless,” Magnus grumbles. “Seasonal allergies are a real and terrible thing.”

“So I’ve seen,” Alec says, his voice softening. “They really get to you, huh?”

Magnus scoffs. “That was nothing. You should see me at the Botanical Gardens.”

Alec chuckles. “Well, at least I know never to buy you flowers…” The moment he says the words, he wishes he could take them back. Not because he doesn’t mean them - he really, really does - but because of the look on Magnus’ face, a pleased smile curving his lips instinctively and then giving way to something… complicated and tinged with regret. Has Alec misread this completely? Misread _Magnus?_

In the next moment, the look vanishes, replaced by a slightly wistful smile. “Certainly not wildflowers in springtime,” Magnus says, playful and joking. Alec takes too long to reply, their conversation feeling a bit stilted in comparison to their usual ease, and Magnus leaves soon after. Still, Alec chooses to see hope in the smile Magnus gives him as the door closes.

As Alec gets ready for bed, he can’t help wondering where he stands with Magnus. It’s hard to reconcile the look he saw on Magnus’ face tonight with the easy flirtation that’s been characteristic of the man since the day they met. Does Alec have a chance or has he been imagining the tantalising chance for something more?


	12. May 28

Simon sees Raphael quite a few times over the next few weeks. Raphael doesn’t seem to follow a set work schedule, coming in at all times of day and night, which works for Simon since he works an odd schedule because of his classes and picks up extra shifts whenever possible.

After the genuine mistake of the first time and the intentional mistake of the second, using the wrong name has kind of become a ‘thing.’ Raphael always glances at the cups with curiosity, and Simon always watches Raphael for his reaction. There’s something about the little smile he gives that warms Simon’s heart.

As time goes on, Simon goes through the usual suspects - Robert, Raymond, etc. - and has to resort to more unusual options, which have included Rodrigo and Renaissance thus far. He laughs under his breath as he scribbles _Rufio_ on a cup just before closing one evening.

Today, however, he’s destined to be disappointed. Raphael’s brow furrows when he reads the name, and he looks up at Simon in confusion.

Simon’s jaw drops. “ _Dude!_ Have you never seen _Hook?!_ ”

Raphael shakes his head, an amused smile playing on his lips when Simon immediately launches into an impassioned plot summary and explanation of why Rufio is the awesomest, pulling up pictures on his phone to show Raphael the character’s super cool style.

“Well, if you recommend it so highly, I’ll clearly have to watch it,” Raphael says, giving Simon a smile. Simon gulps and tries to will away the butterflies. In all fairness, it’s a really nice smile, but still. Actual butterflies seem a little ridiculous. It’s not like Simon’s _smooth_ or anything, but he’d always assumed that, at some point, he’d stop being so awkward and stop, like, acting like a teen with a crush around every attractive person he meets. It’d taken him a full year of working with Izzy to be able to talk to her like a normal human. He just hopes it doesn’t take that long with Raphael because, well, he thinks he might actually _like_ the guy. And maybe, just maybe, the guy might like him back a little.

He turns around after Raphael leaves to see Izzy leaning against the counter, arms folded, smirking at him.

“What?” Simon asks.

“You _like_ him,” Izzy says proudly like she’s solved a mystery.

“So?” he says, flushing a little despite his best efforts.

“ _So_ , you should’ve asked him out!” Izzy retorts with a toss of her head. “ _Obviously._ ”

“That’s, uh… _no_.”

“Are you kidding me?” Izzy asks, giving him a highly unimpressed look. “You had the perfect opening! All that stuff about _Hook?_ You should’ve invited him to the next LRMN!”

“...Oh.” Simon just stares at her for a long moment. It hadn’t occurred to him to do anything of the sort. Then he shakes his head. “Even if he _is_ interested - which, for the record, we do not know - it’s too soon. I don’t know anything about him except his name!”

“ _Fine_ ,” Izzy says, putting up her hands in surrender. “But next time, do it… or I will.”

Simon stares at her, mouth agape.

“No, no, not like that,” Izzy says with a laugh. “I’ll ask him out _for_ you. Not for _me_.” To Simon’s surprise, she looks down and to the left, almost bashful.

“Hold on a minute…” Simon says, wheels turning. “What’s going on with _your_ love life?”

“Me?” Izzy asks, turning to wipe down one of the machines. “Nothing. Why?”

“Uh huh, sure,” Simon says, watching her carefully. “Because you never clean if you can help it, and you’re avoiding eye contact. There’s definitely something going on…”

Izzy turns and gives Simon a wry smile. “You’re quite the detective when you want to be, Lewis.”

Simon shrugs. “Stop trying to change the subject, Lightwood. Is this about Maia?”

Izzy stares. She looks utterly gobsmacked.

Simon chuckles. “I may have been drunk the other night, but I seem to recall you ending up in Maia’s lap for some reason. It doesn’t take a genius to wonder.”

She groans and holds her head in her hands. “Do you think she knows?”

“Well… you weren’t exactly subtle…” Simon says, trying to think of some way to state the obvious nicely.

“Shit, I knew it… I just… she smelled so _good_...”

“Hey. It’s okay. Plus, isn’t it a good thing if Maia knows? I mean… how else are you going to get together?”

“I don’t… I mean… I don’t even know if she _likes_ me! And she’s Alec’s best friend and I don’t want to do anything to ruin that and _fuck_ , Simon, what am I going to _do?_ ” Izzy gathers steam as she talks, the words tumbling out on top of each other in a panicked wail.

He goes over to her and puts a hand on her shoulder. “Maybe you should consider talking to her about it?”

Izzy’s face contorts in a grimace that melts into a shocked stare as another idea occurs to her. “Do you think Alec knows?” she asks in a whisper.

Simon gives her a comforting smile. “Would that be so bad?”’

“But what if he doesn’t think I’m good enough for her? Or he doesn’t want me dating his best friend? What if we broke up, and I ruined their friendship?!” There are tears in her eyes.

Simon laughs. “Okay, _I’m_ usually the expert at jumping to conclusions and freaking out about things that may never happen, but today, you’re giving me a run for my money.”

Izzy sniffles and brushes away the tears before they can fall. “You really think it would be okay?” she asks.

“I do,” Simon answers, “but there’s only one way to know for sure.”

“I’m scared, Simon,” Izzy says, her voice small.

“Me too,” he says with a sympathetic smile, pulling her in for a hug. “How about we both work up to being brave?”

“That sounds good,” she says, her voice muffled by his shirtfront. “Is it okay if I take, like, twelve years to work up to it?”

Simon laughs. “Take your time but don’t wait so long that Maia moves on.”

Izzy looks up, aghast. “If she _did_ like me and started dating someone else…”

“It’d be pretty terrible,” Simons agrees. “You’ve both dated your share of assholes… remember that Jordan guy? But for what it’s worth, I think you two would be good together. And as I recall, she didn’t seem to mind having you in her lap for a longer-than-socially-acceptable amount of time.”

“You really think so?” Izzy asks hopefully.

“I really do.”

Izzy gives him another hug then steps away, taking a deep breath and holding out her hand in a businesslike manner. “Okay. We can do this. Together?”

Simon smiles and shakes her hand. “Together.”


	13. June 6 (pt 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In June...
> 
> Alec and Maia turn to friends for comfort after a rough day at work.
> 
> Magnus attends Lightwood Family Day.
> 
> Luke is the best dad ever.
> 
> The gang has something to celebrate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter and the next mention the death of a terminally ill child and talks about characters trying to deal with that. It is not described or graphic in any way but feel free to skip this chapter and the next if you need to. It does not come up in the other chapters at all.

Izzy can’t stop thinking about Maia. Despite the drunken haze, she remembers it all. The way Maia’s hands had moved over her back, warm and comforting and wonderful. The way Maia had looked at her, softness in her eyes and smile… surely what she feels is mutual. _Surely_ Maia feels the same way.

But Alec…

Alec and Maia have such a special relationship. Maia’s been so good for him, drawing him out of his shell, giving him an ally at work. Before Maia, Izzy had only seen him relax and unwind like that with Simon - and with Simon working so much and Alec’s job being so stressful, it’s wonderful for him to have Maia around. Sure, there are occasional boyfriends and one night stands and such, and she’s _pretty_ sure Alec has taken advantage of the BDSM club membership she gave him last year (even though he’d blushed like fire when he’d opened it), but the guys never stick around for very long.

Though, of course, Alec’s hot neighbour may be changing all of that.

Izzy starts when her phone buzzes. She’s _supposed_ to be working on new designs during her break but instead she’s gotten distracted. Again. She sighs and looks at her phone screen, freezing for a second then relaxing. There’s no way Maia can know what she’s been thinking about.

Then she frowns as she reads the text.

_Awful shift. Could we meet up?_

This is unusual. Despite the friendship that's grown between them, Izzy wouldn't have expected Maia to reach out to her, particularly not after a rough shift at work.

_Of course! At work & short break's over now - but have a long one at 3. Meet here? _

Maia responds immediately. _Perfect. Gives me a chance for a hot shower. Get food and hydrate. All the good stuff._

Izzy's glad Maia isn't here to see her face because no doubt it would give away the tangle of inappropriate thoughts that pop up. How much that sounds like aftercare. How Maia would look naked and wet. What Maia's kinks are... Izzy shakes herself. **_No._ ** Not here. Not now. She has to get back to work.

_Can’t wait. I’ll have your fave ready._

Maia sends back a kissing face emoji, and Izzy very decidedly does not flush at the sight of it.

When Maia’s due to arrive, Izzy’s well armed with their favourite drinks: an Americano for her and Maia’s ultimate guilty pleasure - a Krakatoa, a sickly sweet coffee-chocolate-coconut concoction of Izzy's own devising (and Simon’s naming - “Because it looks like a volcano about to explode!”) topped with a towering mound of whipped cream. People often find their coffee orders amusing, perhaps assuming that Maia's no-nonsense demeanour translates to a hardened palate that can withstand the strongest bitterness. But Izzy's made of sterner stuff than that, and Maia has a soft center. At least, that's how Izzy likes to think of it. Maia can indeed be terrifying at times, making the meanest bully quake in their boots, but she has a huge heart and cares deeply for others. Izzy counts herself lucky to be included in those Maia cares about.

And now she's thinking about Maia again... sigh.

The door chimes and speak of the devil. Angel? Succubus, perhaps, given Izzy’s thoughts about her lately? Because damn, does Maia look good. She's changed out of her scrubs and she's wearing a soft, clinging burgundy t-shirt and fitted black leather jacket over her dark jeans. Izzy doesn't think about the rest of her appearance at first, too busy admiring the way Maia looks... like something right out of a wet dream. One of hers, to be exact, maybe the one from last Tuesday? Fuck... she really has to get her thoughts under control.

As Maia draws near, however, all lustful thoughts flee. Well, most do. There's still a corner of Izzy's mind that goes on appreciating Maia's appearance. And another corner that's perpetually drooling over her. But as good as Maia looks, her face makes it clear that all is not well. She looks... wan, the warm brown of her skin almost grey with exhaustion. It seems to go beyond the physical, though. She looks wrung out, emotionally drained. She looks like she needs a hug, and Izzy finds herself on her feet before she knows what's happening. Wordlessly, she takes Maia in her arms, holding her tightly. It's a perfect hug, that rare moment of holding each other that's just long enough but not at all awkward, both drawing back at the same time before Izzy has time to start wondering how long is too long.

"Sit," Izzy says, motioning to the chair. "Drink your abomination of a concoction. Eat this muffin. Talk to me." Honestly, she's not sure what tactic to take with a Maia this worn out, this distressed, particularly one who reached out to her instead of Alec. She has no fucking clue what Maia wants from her right now, but she's determined to do her level best to give Maia whatever she needs.

Maia smiles. It doesn't reach her eyes, but it's still beautiful. For a few long moments, there's silence. Izzy lets her attention wander. Her eyes drift over the familiar space as she waits for Maia to be ready to talk. Fortunately, even with all the inappropriate thoughts Izzy’s been having lately, she doesn’t feel awkward now. Whether it's because she's being strong for Maia or because they're at Brew Me or because it's Maia in the first place, Izzy doesn’t know, but she feels calm and strong. She knows she can do this, can be what Maia needs. Which is a bit of an odd thought because that's Alec to a tee. Alec tells her she's brave, but it's Alec who's the strong one. It's not just his choice of career, though that's telling enough. Every one of the people in his life turns to him for help, advice, support. And he always helps somehow. Whether it's by wrapping them up in one of those wonderful, enveloping hugs or cooking for them while they pour out their heart and soul, Alec's always there. Always.

But Maia came to _her_.

Maia's slurping on the straw, the sugary sludge in her cup so thick she has to use strong suction despite the extra wide straw. Izzy smiles. Maia sighs and smiles back, smaller but more genuine than before. Izzy counts that as a win.

“What happened?” Izzy asks, sliding a hand across the table to rest on Maia’s. Maia’s fingers twitch under hers, but she doesn’t move her hand away. Izzy yearns to hold Maia’s hand properly, but she keeps herself under control. This is about being there for Maia.

“A patient didn’t make it,” Maia mumbles, looking down.

Izzy brushes her thumb over the back of Maia’s hand. “Oh, Maia… I’m so sorry.”

“Just… feel stupid,” Maia says quietly. “It’s a fact of the job. I should… get used to it, get… better at dealing with it.”

“ _No_ ,” Izzy says fiercely, the vehemence in her voice making Maia look up in surprise. “ _No_ , Maia. Your caring is what makes you fucking amazing at your job, okay? And I’m sorry for the heartache and how much it hurts right now but… that’s why those kids love you. Why they trust you and turn to you. Because you care so damn much that it just pours out of you, and everyone who’s lucky enough to be around you can’t help but _feel_ it.”

Izzy feels her cheeks heat as Maia stares at her, apparently dumbfounded by the flood of words. “I…” She stops. “I just think you’re awesome,” she says softly. “I _know_ you are. And I don’t think turning yourself into some sort of… uncaring robot who’s callous and unfazed by death… I don’t think that’s the answer.”

Maia gives her a tiny smile, just the barest curve of her lips. “Thank you,” she says quietly. After a moment and a deep breath, she continues. “I… I guess that isn’t the answer. It’s just… hard. Heavy. And… normally, I’d talk to Alec, but…”

“This one hit him hard too?” Izzy guesses.

“Yeah. It was, um, Bella.” Maia’s voice trembles slightly on the name.

“Oh no,” Izzy says. She knows how much Alec cares about all his patients, but he’s told many stories of the feisty little girl who always makes him laugh. _Made_ him laugh. Fuck. “How is he, Maia? Should we get him over here?”

Maia shakes her head. “I asked, but he just wanted to be alone. He was headed home for a shower, I think.”

They both know what that means. Izzy can see him how, sitting hunched over as scalding water rains down on him until it runs out or he can’t stand it anymore, whichever comes first. It’s been his bad day remedy since he was little. And on the _really_ bad days, she was the one sitting outside the bathroom door trying to talk him through it. When his middle school crush crush had pretended to like him back and then outed him to the whole grade. When he’d out in college, and their parents flatly denied it at first then, when he persisted, turned around and told him not to come home on breaks. When he’d failed a class because he was working three jobs and going to nursing school. When his first patient died. And again, when it was the first child.

Maia gives her a wry smile. “I know, but I couldn’t talk him out of it. He was kind of like a zombie.”

Izzy chews on her lip as she considers.

“If you need to go, I get it,” Maia says, with a little smile and a shrug, almost as though she’d expected this. And that’s unacceptable.

“No,” Izzy says firmly. She pushes up her glasses, which always seem to slide down her nose in moments of stress. “You need someone just as much as he does. I’ll get in touch with Simon.”

Simon’s not scheduled to work at Brew Me today, so Izzy pulls out her phone and texts him.

  1. _Patient died. Alec went home to shower. You know what that means._



He responds almost immediately. _On it._ A minute later, her phone chimes again. _Have you heard from Maia? Is she okay?_

Izzy smiles and shows Maia the screen. Maia gives her a half-smile. “He’s a good egg.”

“Yeah,” Izzy says, typing a quick response. _I’ve got Maia._ She sets her phone aside.

“So, do you want to tell me about it?”

Maia swallows and nods. “Well… her latest tests weren't great, but I… I just didn’t expect it…”

Izzy puts her hand over Maia’s again, offering what comfort she can.


	14. June 6 (pt 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter and the last mention the death of a terminally ill child and talks about characters trying to deal with that. It is not described or graphic in any way, but feel free to skip this chapter if you need to. It does not come up in the following chapters at all.

Simon slips his phone into his pocket and grabs his wallet.

“Dad?” he yells as he heads downstairs.

“In the kitchen!”

Simon heads into the kitchen and smiles at the sight of his dad. Well, technically stepdad, but neither blood nor skin colour matter. They’re family. Simple as that.

Simon steps up to Luke and gives him a quick hug. “Alec had a bad day. They lost a patient.”

Luke’s brow furrows. “How can I help?”

Simon smiles. “It’s okay. I’m going over to check on him. Just wanted you to know I wouldn’t be here for dinner.”

“Wait,” Luke says. “This is a minute away from being done. I’ll pack up some for you to take over.”

Simon grins. “You’re the best.”

Luke chuckles. “I know it.” He looks at Simon again. “Tell Alec he’s welcome anytime.”

“He knows that, Dad,” Simon says.

“Well, remind him,” Luke says firmly. “He isn’t over nearly enough. I need to make sure my boys are okay.”

Simon smiles at his dad, reminded all over again that he's lucky as hell. When his mom first started dating Luke, Simon was nervous about the strong, quiet man. Would he turn out to be a bully? Would he want anything to do with Simon at all? But it didn't take long for him to see that Luke wasn't hiding anything except the biggest heart in the world.

And at this point, they’ve been through a lot together. Mom’s cancer was the worst of it, but they got through even that. “Us against the world,” they say, accompanied by their secret handshake and a hug. Except it isn't just them, not really. He may be the only one who calls Luke 'dad,' but Luke acts as The Dad for his entire friend group. Luke’s always there, no matter who’s having an issue. He’s done everything from scaring away creepy stalkers to feeding hungry kids to affirming kids whose parents didn't accept them. Still does.

And Alec, well. Alec's a special case.

Simon and Alec have been friends since college. They roomed down the hall from each other and met when they were hanging out awkwardly in the hallway while their roommates where... otherwise occupied. They commiserated and ended up as study buddies and lunch pals, becoming fast friends. Over the summer, they managed to get jobs with the same construction company to try to save up a little. It was tough, backbreaking work, but they made it through with grins on their grimy faces (and a lot of blisters). Simon was there for moral support when Alec came out to his parents, and Simon immediately offered him a place to go for Thanksgiving when Alec's parents told him he was no longer welcome at home. Alec's spent his holidays with them ever since.

In short, they’re Alec's family.

Along the way, they acquired Izzy too, then Maia, their family expanding as their kitchen table fills.

"I'll be sure to remind him," Simon says with a smile. He leans against the kitchen counter and sniffs. "That smells great. What is it?"

Luke glances at him with a grin. "Tarragon chicken. New recipe. Or, more accurately, a twist on an old one."

Simon thinks. "That rings a vague bell. Is it one of mom's?"

"Yeah," Luke says, his smile going soft and sad.

"Hey," Simon says, joining Luke at the stove to bump shoulders with him companionably. "Thank you. Not just for cooking but for... I dunno. Keeping her around, in a way. I know it can't be easy sometimes."

Luke shrugs. "She was important to us, a huge part of our lives. Pretending otherwise would be unfair to her memory."

Simon puts a hand on Luke's shoulder. "I'm really fucking lucky to have you," he says quietly.

Luke waves him off with murmured protestations that it's really nothing, and Simon doesn't know how to explain how much it all means to him, so he stands by and watches as Luke packs up rice and chicken and green beans and salad. "There," he says, zipping up the insulated bag and turning to hand it to Simon. "Now get going. I don't want that getting cold. Plus if you're going over, Alec's probably in the shower, so you'd better get over there before he gets chilled."

Simon takes the bag, giving Luke an impulsive hug before he heads out the door.

It's not far to Alec's apartment complex so Simon makes good time. When he gets to Alec's place, he fumbles with his keys until he finds the spare Alec gave him. Once inside, he sets down the food and heads to the bathroom door. He can hear the water running. He knocks.

"Alec?" he calls, loud enough to be heard over the shower.

"Simon?" Alec sounds confused and surprised.

"Hey, man," Simon says cheerfully. "My dad sent me over with dinner." There's a pause.

"Who called you?" Alec asks, sounding defeated.

"No one," Simon answers honestly, but then he admits, "Izzy texted me." Alec groans.

"So, you gonna come out of there soon, dude?" Simon asks. "I've got some pretty amazing-smelling tarragon chicken out here with your name on it."

A minute later, the shower turns off. After another minute, Alec opens the bathroom door, a towel around his waist. His face and torso are red, and there's heat rising off his skin.

"You done punishing yourself?" Simon asks calmly. Everyone has their own tactic for dealing with Alec in a crisis. This is his.

"I'm not-" Alec starts.

"You're not punishing yourself," Simon recites. They've had this argument many times before. "Sure. But whatever it is you do in there, have you had enough? I don't know how much more your skin can take, dude. You're turning into a prune but, like, a burned one."

That makes Alec smile a little, which Simon counts as a victory. He prides himself on his self-control for not (a) pointing it out or (b) doing a happy dance.

"Okay, go," Simon says, shoving Alec gently towards the bedroom. "Go put on some comfy clothes, and I'll grab plates. This calls for a Golden Girls marathon."

Alec lets out a quiet chuckle, though it's more exhausted than amused. Fortunately, he doesn't seem to have the energy to put up an objection, which works perfectly for Simon's purposes. He pours two glasses of juice - Alec doesn't keep much alcohol around and best not to add alcohol to whatever else is going on right now - and portions out the food onto two plates. Luke (being his usual dad self) packed plenty for the two of them and leftovers besides, so he repacks the rest and puts the containers in the fridge. By the time Alec emerges, face flushed and eyes dark-circled, Simon's got everything queued up and is waiting for him on the couch.

Alec sits down heavily beside him. "Thanks," he says, voice a little hoarse.

"No problem," Simon says with a grin. "Always happy to come pester you."

Alec gives him a half-smile. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing..."

Simon shrugs. "So?"

"So, thank you," Alec says. "That's all." He looks down at the plate of food Simon's handing him. "This smells _amazing_."

"I know, right?!" Simon exclaims with an excited grin. "My dad is the best," he says around his first mouthful, making a happy noise at the flavour.

Alec chuckles. "No argument here."

Simon shoots him a glance. "He's basically your dad too," he says.

"Well..." Alec starts. He stops at Simons' glare.

"Okay, that's it. It's Golden Girls time," Simon says firmly. "No talking until Sophia’s destroyed someone with her savagery."

Alec snorts but nods obediently and digs into his food. They finish their food and watch the show in silence until, finally, Alec starts to talk, halting and quiet. "We... lost a kid today."

Simon surreptitiously turns down the volume - or tries to. In actuality, he drops the remote with a loud clatter on the floor.

"Shit! Sorry," Simon says, looking at Alec apologetically after he picks it up and deals with the sound issue.

"Bella," Alec says, taking a deep breath.

"Unicorn girl?" Simon asks, unsure if he's remembering correctly.

"Yeah," Alec says, smiling sadly. "She, uh... she hasn't been doing so well lately, but I thought she'd pull through, you know? She has so many other times, and I guess... maybe it was more hope than anything, but I really didn't think..."

Simon puts a comforting hand on Alec's shoulder and squeezes. Alec gives him a grateful smile and keeps talking. Simon does what he can. He keeps Alec company and listens.


	15. June 11

Alec’s scrubs are bright and colourful. As Magnus draws closer, he sees they’re adorned with rainbows. He smiles.

“Are those for a patient?”

“No,” says Alec with a smile. “It’s Pride month.”

“Oh,” Magnus says, heart speeding up. He’s _fairly_ certain Alec’s not straight by this point, but they’ve never really had this conversation. He pushes down his hopes.

“Being a good ally?” he asks, offering Alec a noncommittal smile.

Alec stares at him. Magnus wonders why.

“I’m gay,” Alec says, direct and candid, smiling a little.

And just like that, the colours around them brighten, and Magnus could swear he hears birds singing. Because if Alec likes men, then there’s a real, official possibility that Alec might like _him_.

“Oh, _really?_ ” he says, a slow grin spreading over his face. He puts out his hand. “Hi, I’m bi.” He gives Alec an outrageous wink. Alec laughs, and it’s a beautiful sound, full and hearty and delighted. He takes Magnus’ hand and shakes it.

“Hi, bi,” he teases.

“God, dad jokes already?!” Magnus says, wrinkling his nose. Alec looks at him sternly.

“Don’t even _try_ to pretend you don’t make bi puns all the time.”

Magnus shrugs, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Well… I get _bi_...”

Alec snorts, and then they’re both laughing helplessly.

And then they’re chuckling.

And then they’re just smiling into each other’s eyes.

And maybe it’s Magnus’ imagination, but something feels like it’s shifted between them, become more concrete.


	16. June 16

It’s Lightwood Family Day, known to the rest of the world - or at least the United States - as the eve of Father’s Day. Lightwood Family Day is an invented but highly important holiday, which Izzy and Alec celebrate by hanging out and drinking to excess. Anyone interested in getting completely hammered and talking about fucked up families is welcome to join. The drinking part is what makes the talking part possible. Because some things are just hard to talk about, no matter how much you may need to.

Alec isn’t sure why Magnus is here or how he even found out about it, but he’d showed up on the doorstep earlier with a bottle of tequila in one hand and a bottle of vodka in the other. “Pick your poison,” he’d said with a grin, and Alec hadn’t been able to help grinning back and letting him in. Which is really the entire fucking story of their relationship, if he thinks about it: Magnus smiling and Alec falling. Although, relationship seemed a bit much at this point, so… Friendship? Neighbourship? Whatever.

The point is that Magnus is _here_ , sitting cross-legged on Alec’s living room floor, waving his glass around as he talks animatedly with his hands, telling a story about his upbringing. The story between the lines is far from amusing, but Magnus’ wit and sarcasm have them all laughing anyway. Alec looks around at the familiar faces - Izzy, Maia, Simon - and marvels at how seamlessly Magnus fits into the group, how easily they adapt to include him.

Alec can’t help but marvel at Magnus too. He’s an incredible storyteller and, if even half the stories he tells are true, he’s been through a _lot_. And yet, he seems so accepting of himself and others. He’s empathetic, listening carefully to what the others have to say like he really _cares_ , even though they’re practically strangers.

As the evening progresses, they all take turns. With a new person here, they recycle some old, familiar tales. Coming out stories. Experiences with abuse. Feeling unsafe. Learning (the hard way) only to rely on themselves. There are tears and laughter and hugs and more drinking.

Eventually, Maia and Alec insist the others drink water before bed, and then they all fall asleep, sprawled across spare mattresses and sleeping bags and the couch. Alec rubs bleary eyes as he heads to bed, smiling to himself at the cacophony of sleepy mumbles and snores and grunts.

As is tradition, Luke shows up the next morning. He lets himself in and prepares a huge breakfast: toast and bacon and eggs and hashbrowns and fruit and pastries. He dispenses hugs and aspirin in equal measure, offering copious amounts of strong coffee and warm smiles, and Alec can’t help but beam despite his pounding head. His own parents may be assholes, but Luke is all the dad he needs.

Alec looks across the room at Magnus, nursing his coffee with a hand on his head, dishevelled and sleepy. He looks a bit bewildered, but he’s taking all of this in stride, and Alec _still_ doesn’t know who invited him, but he’s glad Magnus was a part of this.


	17. June 23

 Magnus doesn’t quite know how it happened, but without ever quite seeming to discuss it explicitly, he and Alec and their friends apparently all decided to go to Pride together. Their Pride packs meet up at the appointed spot with loud, cheerful introductions and exclamations - because it turns out Simon and Izzy and Raphael recognise each other from Brew Me. And the look that passed between Simon and Raphael, the way Simon flushes and Raphael actually _smiles_ a little has Magnus wondering what’s going on. The lovely Isabelle - those Lightwood genes are really something else - is watching them too, a fond smile on her face.

Magnus turns to see a puzzled look on Alec’s face. Alexander. The beautiful. The kind. The problematic. Magnus has good reasons for not allowing himself to be in a relationship right now, but fuck, it is hard to remember them when Alec’s right in front of him looking boyish and carefree with a rainbow flag painted on his cheek, showing off his physique in a _Gay AF_ tank top and a pair of fitted shorts. It’s _unfair_ how good he looks. And the way he keeps looking back is just as hard to resist. Magnus can’t help preening a little under the attention. One of his favourite things about Pride is that it’s the one event where it’s _impossible_ to be too extra. So his hair is up in a fauxhawk coloured to look like the bi pride flag. And he’s covered in glitter. And tiny gold shorts that leave virtually nothing to the imagination. And a mesh shirt that flaunts rather than conceals. He looks fucking _phenomenal_ , and he knows it. Isabelle exclaimed over his look when they arrived, but Magnus only really cared what Alec thought. And the warmth in Alec’s gaze, the way he has to keep pulling his eyes back to Magnus’ face, the slight flush that’s taken up permanent residence in his cheeks… oh, Alec _very_ much likes what he sees… and Magnus very much likes knowing that.

He just wishes he could _do_ something about it. Pull Alec in for a kiss, joyous and passionate. Take him home, have slightly tipsy and completely glorious post-Pride sex, and leave Alec’s apartment awash in glitter. But no. Not yet. But if Alec’s still around, still single, and still looking at him like _that_ in November? Magnus sure as hell won’t be wasting any time. Only… 5 months and a week, give or take. He stifles a groan. Fuck, that’s a long time. And what are the chances Alec won’t have found someone by then? But Magnus can’t think about this right now or it’ll ruin the day for all of them, so he takes a deep breath and dives back into the conversation.

The day passes in a blur of parading and walking and eating and hugging and dancing. Magnus is pleasantly surprised to discover that Alec has no problem whatsoever cutting loose with the rest of the crowd. He’s graceful too, sexy in his unselfconscious enjoyment. Magnus hasn’t seen Alec like this before, and it’s getting increasingly hard not to grab ahold of his shirt and haul him in for a kiss, wet and dirty and _perfect_. So he goes and grabs another drink, sitting on the sidelines for a moment, giving himself a stern talking to. That’s where Maia finds him.

“I know we’ve only met once, but you _really_ don’t seem like the wallflower type,” she says, nudging him until he moves over. She takes a seat beside him.

“I’m not,” Magnus confesses. “I just… am trying to work some things out in my head.”

Maia tilts her head and looks at him curiously but doesn’t press the matter. He’s grateful. He doesn’t know what he’d say to explain it and telling the whole story feels far too intimate for Pride, for Maia, for now.

They sit in silence for a few moments. Magnus turns his head and takes a deep breath, trying to find something to say, but he doesn’t get a chance. Izzy approaches like a very beautiful whirlwind and sweeps Maia away for a dance. Magnus grins to himself. There’s _definitely_ something going on there. He’s lost in thought when Alec drops down beside him on the grass, panting and sweaty and flushed and smiling. He’s _beautiful._ Alec grins at him, and Magnus grins back. They don’t speak, but that just makes a good moment even better. Makes it perfect.

As it gets later and they get more tired and less sober, they slowly make their way towards home, collecting Luke from his _Free Dad Hugs!_ booth on the way. They’d planned to do an actual dinner, but everyone’s tired, so they find a 24-hour diner down the street and all cram into a corner table, pulling up an insane number of chairs and eating far too much food.

And then, they head their separate ways, Ubers arriving and Luke offering to drive people home, as he always does. It’s only logical that Alec and Magnus share a cab. They’re going to the same place, after all. Magnus can’t help both anticipating and dreading the ride, but fortunately, Alec’s all worn out and sleepy. Even though it makes Magnus want to kiss him more than ever, it also makes him feel all warm and cozy inside, like he wants to take care of Alec and make sure he’s okay. That makes it easier to keep himself under control.

And once they get home, he needs all the control he can muster. Because drunk, sleepy Alec needs some help getting out of the car. And up the stairs. And unlocking his door. Magnus both fears and hopes Alec will need more help, but fortunately (or not), he doesn’t. Instead, he leans heavily on his door and pouts a little as he looks at Magnus.

“Why don’ you wanna kiss me?” he asks abruptly.

Magnus gulps and tries to figure out how to answer. But Alec just grumbles something unintelligible and turns a bit unsteadily to head inside.

“Do you need help?” Magnus calls after him.

“No, ‘m good…” Alec says. He heads inside but leaves the door ajar. Magnus waits, frozen for a moment, then follows Alec inside, unsure if Alec will be able to find his bed like this. But by the time he makes it in, Alec’s stumbled through to his bedroom and is flopping down on the bed. Magnus laughs softly and helps Alec take his shoes off, then pulls up the covers. Alec’s already drifting off, his breathing evening out, and Magnus smoothes the hair off his forehead, his heart giving a funny kind of flop at the sight of Alec like this, so peaceful and sweet. Unable to resist, he bends down and kisses Alec’s forehead. “Sweet dreams, Alexander,” he whispers as he straightens, then goes home to glitter up his cat with cuddles and fall into bed himself.


	18. June 29

After Pride and the curious way Raphael and Simon looked at each other, Magnus formulates a plan. There’s clearly some interest there. Maybe they just need a little… encouragement. Nothing big, nothing obvious. He just… wants coffee more than he used to. And always when Simon’s on shift. This intuition isn’t the result of some recently revealed psychic powers, of course. He just so happens to have a partner in crime.

Alec had noticed the same thing Magnus had at Pride, and while they haven’t discussed anything that would violate their friends’ privacy, they’ve talked enough to know neither Simon nor Raphael finds it the easiest to meet people. So mutual interest like this, particularly from a chance meeting, is something rare.

Alec’s contribution is sleuthing out Simon’s schedule for the week, Magnus’ is strategic coffee cravings (or the performance thereof). Fortunately, Brew Me has very good coffee and quite an array of menu items, so he hasn’t gotten bored yet. He has to be a little… creative to justify the cost to Ragnor, but the little smile on Raphael’s face whenever he returns from seeing Simon is more than worth it.

-

Simon doesn’t question the fact that he starts seeing Raphael more regularly. He’s just happy for every interaction. Pride had been fun. They hadn’t really talked about their sexualities, (though Simon’s had been probably been pretty clear from his  _I’m Pan, Duh_ shirt), but it was enough to be there together, finding a few quiet moments amidst the chaos. It had made Simon want to spend time with Raphael intentionally, just the two of them. Somewhere quieter and more their scene.

It’s hard, though, to find the courage and the right time. Simon watches Raphael walk away for the fourth time this week. Today was supposed to be the day, but it’d been busy and he’d only had time for a quick hello and a smile. And, of course, the continuation of the ritual of the misnomer, wherein Simon asks Raphael for his name, Raphael replies truthfully, and Simon writes down something wildly inaccurate. On purpose, unlike the first time. Because the charm of making Raphael smile or chuckle seems only to grow with time.

After going through a bunch of R names - everything from Rodrigo to Rambo - they’ve moved on to groups. They’ve done the Avengers (comic book canon, naturally) and the Beatles (because the Fab Four are perennially awesome), and this week, they’re working on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Simon may or may not keep a list in his phone so he doesn’t repeat any… but Raphael doesn’t need to know that.

With a wave, Raphael walks out the door. The cups he’s carrying are marked _Donatello,_ and it makes Simon smile, even if today didn’t go to plan. He’s still determined. He’s going to ask Raphael out one of these days. _Next time,_ he promises himself.

Next time.


	19. July 2 (pt 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In July...
> 
> Simon has a bad day, and Raphael tries to help.
> 
> Magnus' company gets a big job, and Alec takes up modelling.
> 
> Maia and Izzy go to the ball.

It’s only been a few days since Raphael was at Brew Me last, but Simon, who always has a smile for everyone, looks different today. His shoulders are slumped, and he looks tired. His smile doesn’t reach his eyes. Raphael isn’t sure what’s going on, but he knows he doesn’t like it. No one with that much laughter living inside him should look like _this_.

Raphael places the office coffee order, then waits. But Simon doesn’t seem to have the heart for their usual ritual today, so Raphael takes it upon himself to initiate it, hoping to lighten Simon’s mood.

“Aren’t you going to ask for my name?”

Simon looks startled, then resigned. “What name?” he asks dutifully with a pitiful attempt at a smile.

“Michelangelo,” Raphael replies. He wonders for a moment if Simon will remember. The past few times, they’ve gone through the other ninja turtles. Mikey’s the only one left. Simon looks startled again, but he smiles a little.

“Completing the set, huh?”

Raphael nods and smiles, but… Simon’s smile is so small, so quick to fade.

It’s not enough.

“Cowabunga,” remarks Raphael, his voice as calm and conversational as if he was talking about the weather. Simon stares for a moment as if he can’t believe his ears then, slowly, a delighted smile dawns on his face. And _fuck_ , if that isn’t a beautiful sight. A moment later, Simon’s grinning like a fool. The next, he’s laughing, full and hearty and helpless until he’s doubled over with it, snorting and slapping the counter.

Raphael watches with a fond smile on his face for as long as he can. Unfortunately, pushy customers mean that’s not _nearly_ as long as he’d like it to be. Still, he smiles all the way back to the office.

_Worth it._

-

Simon chuckles about Raphael’s comment for hours, blushing a little each time he remembers it. Ever since Raphael’s second visit, Simon’s thought of it as _his_ job to do the cheering up, and Raphael going out of his way to make Simon smile was really sweet. It was very specific too, going through what Simon’s come to think of as ‘their routine,’ remembering which ninja turtle was left, and _then_ being purposefully silly just to make Simon laugh… God, just when Simon had thought he couldn’t like Raphael more than he already did.

Of course, now he’s missed another opportunity to ask Raphael out, his bad day chasing everything else from his mind. But he can’t regret that too much because now? He _knows_ Raphael cares. And that knowledge makes him feel all warm and light inside.

Because now?

Simon has a feeling Raphael will say _yes_ when he asks…


	20. July 2 (pt 2)

Alec’s been sent on an errand to another floor, a rare occurrence. He’s just concluding his business and heading back to the pediatric wing when he does a double take.

It can’t be. Can it?

But a second glance confirms it.

Why the hell is Magnus _here_?

He’s beautiful - as he always is - somehow sharper and more put together than Alec’s yet seen him, his makeup perfect, his maroon slacks and charcoal button-up perfectly ironed. Alec aches a little at the sight of him. Fuck, he’s _gorgeous._ How can one man be so incredibly appealing? Kind and sweet and hot and… Alec pulls himself out of his reverie. He has patients to get back to. But first...

“Magnus!”

Magnus turns at the sound of his name. When Alec approaches, Magnus looks just as surprised to see him as Alec was a moment ago.

“Alexander!” Magnus exclaims, a smile spreading across his face, and Alec can’t help the one that springs to his lips in response.

“Magnus,” he says, ducking his head to brush his lips over Magnus’ cheek. Alec doesn’t know who’s more surprised by the gesture. Probably him. He steps back nearly immediately, hand awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck as he tries to figure out what to do next. “What, uh… what’re you doing here?’ he asks finally.

“Oh, I’m here for work. Meeting with PR. Events by Bane is in charge of the gala,” Magnus explains.

Of course. The annual charity gala is coming up. It’s the hospital’s biggest fundraiser, and Alec dreads it without fail. It’s a lot of people, and he’s forced to dress up all fancy, and… it’s just not his scene. But it’s important to his job, to the kids he works with, so he endures it every year.

“Really?” Alec asks, his eyebrows rising. “That’s… wow, that’s a big deal,” he says. He gulps when he realises what that might sound. He hastens to try to clarify. “Not that your company isn’t successful or can’t handle it, just… it’s a lot of people. A major event for us.”

Magnus laughs, and _god_ , Alec really likes that sound, almost as much as the way his face just lights up. “That’s very kind,” he says, laying a hand on Alec’s arm. Alec swallows and very carefully does _not_ look at where their skin touches - even though he can feel the warmth of Magnus’ palm spreading through his whole body. “And it’s a _huge_ deal for us, Alexander. This could be our big break!” he says, his voice rising in his excitement.

Alec smiles. “You’re going to _smash_ it,” he says warmly.

Magnus flushes, just a little, the warm brown of his skin going ever so slightly pink, and Alec is such a fucking goner. He’s not sure he’s ever had it this badly, _wanted_ anyone this badly. Still, he’s at work, and so is Magnus.

“I… I’d better get back to work,” he says with a sheepish shrug, pointing behind him. “I was just… really surprised to see you here.”

Magnus smiles at him, and despite the number of people around, it somehow feels like this smile is personal. Special. Like it exists just for Alec. “I’m glad you came over. It was good to see you in your native habitat.”

Alec smiles back and turns to leave. He stops when he hears Magnus’ voice behind him.

“And you look amazing in those, Alexander.”

Alec turns, already chuckling. Today’s he’s wearing watermelon-patterned scrubs. “But…?” he prompts.

“Whatever do you mean?” Magnus asks innocently.

“You can’t wait to see whether I can blush this colour? You want to see what’s inside my tough rind? You want to see me without my armour? What, Magnus? There’s got to be _something_ …”

“No, no,” Magnus says, laughing. He waits a beat. Then, with a little smirk playing on his lips, he says, “Just, uh… watermelon is one of my _favourite_ things to have in my _mouth…_ though I bet _you_ could give it a run for its money…”

Alec snorts. “Okay, that one I didn’t anticipate, but I should’ve…”

Magnus laughs again. “Yeah, you _really_ should’ve, especially after all the ‘bi’ jokes at Pride.”

“I can’t wait to hear what you come up with next,” Alec says. He gives Magnus a flirtatious wink and turns on his heel, pretending not to hear Magnus’ dramatic gasp of outrage.

“I am a master of innuendo, Alexander! I know no limits!” Magnus calls after him.

Alec can’t stop smiling for the next hour.

-

Magnus meets Dot at the door to the PR office. They meet with Claudia, the Public Relations officer, which goes smoothly until they get to the presentation part of the discussion. Claudia suggests they use the usual slideshow, but when she shows it to them, Magnus and Dot exchange glances at the dated, slightly grainy footage and photographs.

Dot gently suggests they try to update the presentation and Claudia seems open to the idea. Immensely relieved, Magnus _may_ go a little overboard with his suggestions, which he then has to justify to Ragnor.

“You didn’t see it, Ragnor!” Magnus pleads. “It was awful! Boring as hell! And that _picture quality?_ It was like something from the eighties!”

“There’s nothing wrong with the eighties,” Ragnor says grumpily. “And they’ve been using it very successfully so there’s clearly nothing wrong with it.”

Fortunately, Dot backs Magnus up. Ragnor grumbles (a lot), but Magnus volunteers to oversee all the extra work himself _and_ promises to find ways to cut back in other places to cover the cost. Ragnor looks skeptical, but Magnus _does_ tend to come through when things get rough moneywise, so he eventually agrees.

Magnus sends Claudia a plan for a multimedia presentation that will be integrated into the event as a whole rather than a portion of the program. They’ll use strategically placed technology to display high-quality black and white images and to project looped video presentations in various corners of the room, locating refreshments and cocktails nearby to encourage people to linger and view the information. The videos will cover the services provided by the hospital and show some of those services in action while the still images will be portraits of patients and staff. None of the old images or footage will work so they’ll have to do some photo and video shoots.

Magnus waits with bated breath for Claudia’s reaction, but he needn’t have worried. She loves the idea, thinks it’s multimedia and classy and will give visual interest to the event as well as making it feel more modern.

The timeline will be tight, but Magnus is sure they can manage it. He gets to work.


	21. July 6

Alec takes a deep breath as he walks into the makeshift studio space Magnus has set up. This… is _really_ not his thing, but he hadn’t been able to resist when Magnus had asked him to participate.

-

“Help me out?” Magnus asks, pouting and fluttering his eyelashes. It should look completely ridiculous, and it _does_ \- **_really_** it does.

It just so happens to _also_ be completely fucking adorable and make Alec melt into a puddle.

Alec blames that damn look for the fact that he says yes before he’s even aware of opening his mouth.

-

Now, Alec waits quietly as Magnus works with other hospital personnel. He tries not to fidget, but it’s hard. He’s an active person who keeps himself busy. It feels odd to just… wait.

At least there’s plenty to look at as he waits his turn. And by _plenty_ , of course, he means _Magnus._ Because Magnus just draws the eye, demanding the attention of everyone in the room. And right now? There’s a lot to see.

Magnus is unflappable. They’ve already encountered several setbacks, and he’s dealt with each one with perfect equanimity, solving each issue in quick order. And he keeps-

Alec nearly chokes on his tongue as Magnus gives _another_ order, his voice so full of quiet authority and kindness that the people he’s addressing obey eagerly, not even realising that they were told what to do.

Overall, he’s just… he’s so fucking _competent,_ and Alec didn’t know he was into that (at least not _sexually_ ), but holy _hell_. Maybe he is. Or maybe he’s just into all things Magnus Bane. Either way, he just wants to spend all day watching while Magnus coaxes and maneouvres people into doing his bidding, addressing crises left and right, completely in his element.

Alec’s breath sticks in his throat when Magnus looks up and honest to goodness _winks_ at him like he _knows._ He can’t know. Can he? Is Magnus _psychic?_ At this moment, as he’s trying to control his breathing and talk his cock out of becoming a problem in his pants, Alec wouldn’t put it past him.

And then, Magnus is motioning him forward, and Alec is unbelievably grateful he’s wearing jeans instead of scrubs in this moment. He does as he’s told, poses like Magnus wants him to. It’s hard, though.

For one thing, the only stuff he’s done that even vaguely resembles modelling is when Izzy periodically insists on photographing him, which usually involves a lot of comments like: “Sexier! No, Alec, s _exier!_ ” So he feels incredibly self conscious right now. (And to make matters worse, he keeps hearing Izzy’s voice critiquing how he’s standing and holding himself and what his face is doing.)

For another thing, he keeps getting distracted by the camera. Or, more accurately, the man behind it. Because fucking hell. Magnus is so focused and intent. On _him._ It’s more than a little hot. Not only that, but he’s got _purple_ in his hair today and his eyeliner is silver and _teal_ and there’s something on his cheekbones that’s making them fucking _glow_ , and… it’s a _lot,_ okay? Alec worries none of the shots will be usable because they’ll all have him staring at Magnus with glazed eyes while drool spills down his shirtfront.

Fortunately, that’s when Magnus brings in the kids, and Alec finally relaxes. Here, at least, he knows what to do. He poses with the kids, coaches them into the poses Magnus wants, and generally turns his attention to them in an effort to get comfortable. It works. Alec’s always been better able to focus on others than himself, and this is no exception.

Plus, it’s _his_ _kids._ All of them. Ja’Din, Anna, Nyla, Charlie… Even Madzie’s here, the inimitable little girl who’s the longest running resident of the wing, arriving just a week after Alec and a few months before Bella.

_Bella._

Alec takes a deep, unsteady breath. Though losing patients is just part of the nature of his job, it never gets easier to be reminded of that fact.

He catches Magnus shooting him a worried glance. Alec smiles at him, trying to reassure him. _I’m okay._

Magnus knows about Bella. The basics, at least. They’ve only talked about it in passing since Alec wasn’t up for a more in-depth conversation at the time, still feeling raw and fragile. Magnus didn’t push, for which Alec’s grateful.

Alec shakes himself and refocuses on the task at hand. Things are going just about perfectly when Charlie goes ballistic in the space of a nanosecond, crying and shaking and shying away from anyone’s touch. Alec’s on his feet in an instant, moving towards Charlie before he’s even aware of it, but someone else gets there first.

Magnus.

Alec stops as Magnus sinks to his knees in front of Charlie, murmuring to him quietly, silently waving the others aside to give Charlie some space. He sets down the camera, his entire attention on the weeping little boy in front of him. Alec watches in wonder as Magnus’ words seem to take effect, Charlie’s tears eventually subsiding to hiccups. Charlie starts talking softly and holds out his arm, apparently showing Magnus something.

And then, a pair of slim brown arms circle Charlie’s waist. Madzie moves carefully, slowly, her touch gentle. But Charlie doesn’t move away. For a long moment, he does nothing. Then, he lets out a little sob and hugs Madzie back. Madzie holds him tight and gives him a kiss on the cheek, her lips making a loud smacking noise. Alec _melts._

Charlie giggles, soft but unmistakable, and the kids laugh and cheer. In the next few minutes, Magnus fills Alec in on what happened. Charlie’s arm is sore from a recent injection and someone had bumped into it. They poll the other kids and find out where _they’re_ most sensitive or in pain, then make sure everyone knows to be careful and give each other space.

Things go pretty smoothly from there on out, and Magnus is able to get the shots he needs, so they’re able to get the kids back to their beds in short order - and fortunately, while everyone’s still smiling and having a good time.

Alec’s hoping to be able to linger and chat with Magnus, but they need his help with the kids, so he sighs inwardly and wheels Nyla out the door. He doesn’t have time for more than a wave and a smile for Magnus, but he hopes Magnus can feel how much he means it, the warmth of the caring and affection he pours into it.

Because after today? After seeing Magnus with _his kids_ , the way he’d laughed and joked and made them smile… Alec doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of not falling for him. Well. Falling _further._

Alec’s face falls as he heads down the hallway listening to Nyla’s excited chatter. If only Magnus felt the same…

Sadly, the post-Pride hangover wasn’t enough to chase away the fact Magnus neither contradicted nor explained his apparent lack of interest in kissing Alec, despite the near-constant flirting. And that incredibly sweet goodnight kiss.

So, here they are. With Alec nursing a serious crush - he tells himself that’s all it is, but the words ring hollow even in his own ears - and Magnus blowing hot and cold in turn. God, why are relationships so fucking confusing?

Alec gives up on that line of thought for the moment, choosing instead to be the rocket booster for Nyla’s wheelchair and taking comfort in her shrieks of glee. At least he knows where he stands with _her._

-

Magnus collapses into his chair in his home office. All he wants to do is sleep, but he has to start working on the photoshoot footage and proofs or they won’t be done in time. He promised Ragnor he’d have something finished and usable by Monday. It’ll mean working over the weekend, but it’ll be worth it because the alternative is unacceptable and, frankly, embarrassing. Well, that and he now has a hard drive full of pictures of Alec.

He’s not a creeper. Really.

Magnus sighs and gets up to fix himself a drink. Maybe alcohol will dull his senses enough that he won’t be hopelessly distracted by Alexander’s pretty face.

Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.

An hour later, Magnus is complaining at length to Chairman, telling him angrily that’s it’s simply unfair for anyone to have such ridiculously gorgeous eyes, not to mention a _jaw_ like that. And that _smile…_ Magnus may or may not be cataloguing all of Alexander’s looks and smiles, and he’d thought he’d found Alexander’s sweetest, softest look. It’s the one he has for Izzy, that little smile he gives her that speaks volumes about how much he loves her and how proud he is of her. But today? The looks and smiles Alec gave those kids? Magnus can’t stand it. _Cannot._ His heart goes pitter patter every damn time he looks at one of the pictures.

Sure, there are the lovely ones of Alec looking all bashful and awkward on his own, but the moment the kids appeared, his face just lit up. And in almost every picture after that, Alec’s looking at them, smiling at them like they’re his whole world, his whole posture relaxed and open.

It’s just…

It’s a lot.

“A man can only take so much,” Magnus tells Chairman with a solemn nod. “I mean. It’s just not _fair._ How’s a man supposed to do what his therapist said with someone so beautiful right next door? And so _nice,_ too! So sweet and kind and funny and _hot…_ oh my _god,_ he’s hot…”

Magnus shakes himself and goes back to selecting pictures. A few pictures from the end, he pauses for a long moment, then makes himself click through the rest. Once he’s checked the others, he immediately comes back to IMG_1067.

It takes his breath away all over again.

Alec’s on his knees, surrounded by kids, his long arms wide as if to hold them all close and keep them safe. His head’s tipped back, frozen mid-laugh, probably at something one of them said. His face is _alight_ with joy.

Magnus stares, then stares some more. He swallows hard, blinks away the burn of tears.

Fuck.

_Fuck._

This… this is not… Magnus can’t do this. Can’t _feel_ like this.

Can’t wait til November.

But he has to.

**_Fuck._ **

Magnus doesn’t do any more editing that night, just curls up with Chairman and tries to figure out what to do.

Because after today, one thing is clear.

This isn’t just a crush, and this isn’t going away.

He’s in love with Alec.


	22. July 29 (pt 1)

The night of the gala finally arrives. Alec’s barely seen Magnus because of all the whirlwind preparations for the big event, but he’s not alone as he gets ready.

Izzy straightens his bowtie and steps back.

“Perfect,” she says, with a brilliant smile.

“Hardly,” Alec replies with a laugh.

He’d invited Izzy as his date for several reasons. For one, Maia will already be there. For another, he doesn’t have anyone else who wants to go with him. _Regardless_ of what Maia and Izzy think, when it comes to Alec, Magnus seems conflicted at best (manipulative at worst, though maybe he just flirts like that with everyone?). In any case, the only person Alec would _want_ to go with is Magnus, and he’ll be busy working. And finally, he’s a damn good brother who knows Izzy loves an excuse to be extra fabulous.

And tonight, Alec has to say she’s outdone herself. She’s wearing a one-shoulder ombre gown that starts out black and flows into red at the bottom, adorned with silver-beaded accents at the shoulder and waist that perfectly match her dangling earrings and strappy sandals. It’s one of her own creations, the first she’s brought to life from her many sketchbooks filled with designs and dreams. Alec’s always known she was talented and driven and could do any damn thing she set her mind to, but seeing her vision brought to life like this… it takes his breath away and, to him, at least, Izzy’s evening wear looks just as good as anything one might find in a magazine or on a red carpet.

He tells her so for the umpteenth time that evening, and Izzy just smiles at him. She pats his cheek and tucks a red pocket square into his breast pocket. It’s the exact shade of her dress. Because of course it is.

She turns them to the mirror for a moment, forcing Alec to admire himself. He can’t help but look at her instead, bursting with pride for all she’s accomplished. She’s gorgeous, of course, always is, her dark hair loose and wavy, makeup perfect, lovely dress a perfect fit.

Alec puts his arm around her and pulls her against his side so he can press a kiss to the top of her hair and tell her one more time how proud he is of her. She gives him a big, beautiful smile in the mirror, and tells him she’s just as proud of him. He flushes at that, unable to help himself. She leans up and kisses his cheek.

“You look so handsome, big brother,” she says, then adds in a significant whisper, “Magnus won’t be able to take his eyes off you…”

Alec protests automatically, but he can’t stop blushing all the way to the gala.

-

When they arrive, it takes a while to move through the throng of people at the door and make their way inside. They wander around a little, admiring the cobalt and gold colour scheme, rich and bold yet somehow not overwhelming. Everything around them speaks of luxury and elegance. The array of food looks and smells incredible, and a waiter appears at their elbow to offer them champagne. Alec’s never seen an event like this before, and he’s been coming to the hospital gala (under duress) since he started there.

He’s incredibly impressed by Magnus’ handiwork. He looks around for the man himself, hoping to tell him so, but he can’t see any trace of him. He does, however, spot Maia and beckon her over.

Alec smiles when Maia elbows her way through the crowd, a big smile on her face. She looks dapper as hell in a fitted black suit, a white shirt under the jacket that has an emerald satin lining and lapels, completing the look with black and white patent leather wingtips and emerald earrings. Her hair’s in its usual gorgeous afro, and she’s put some effort into her makeup, her eyes set off with liner and her lips fuchsia.

Alec takes her hands and holds her at arm's length, needing a minute to admire. Maia is beautiful every day, no matter what she wears, but it’s lovely to see her having fun with the event and taking advantage of the opportunity to dress up.

Though most days, Alec’s outfit choices are limited to the pattern of his scrubs, he’s always had a decent sense of fashion. Plus, growing up with Izzy and supporting her dreams of becoming a fashion designer had led to him learning more about clothing styles and materials and such than he’d ever dreamed there was to know. He doesn’t need any of that right now. His eyes are enough to tell him that not everyone could pull off this outfit. That it takes Maia’s daring and panache to really make it work.

Alec turns to Izzy to see her looking Maia up and down, a slight flush on her cheeks. When he turns back to Maia, she’s eyeing Izzy right back. Alec bites back the smirk that threatens to take over his face and casually informs Maia that Izzy made her dress. Izzy’s blush deepens, and Maia’s jaw drops. As soon as she recovers, she goes into raptures over Izzy’s handiwork, insisting on admiring it from every angle and complimenting Izzy profusely.

The three of them chat for a few minutes, sipping champagne and pretending to be fancy, giggling a little each time they make eye contact. Alec doesn’t remember these events ever being this fun, and he hasn’t even seen Magnus yet.

A little while later, Alec leaves the others and wanders around on his own. He wants to see Magnus, if he’s honest, but he doesn’t let himself think about that too much. He sees a few people he knows, some coworkers, some bosses. He even sees his hero, Catarina Loss. She’s a shift supervisor at the hospital, unflappably cool in a crisis, authoritative and commanding without ever raising her voice. Best of all, she’s the only person he’s met at work (apart from Maia) who’ll truly tackle Jace’s behaviour. She doesn’t step in often, but whenever she does, he’s always awed by the quick and fair way she handles things. Even Jace doesn’t dare talk back to her, which is saying something. So the few minutes Alec spends on the periphery of Catarina’s conversation are the highlight of his evening. At least until he sees Magnus.

-

“What, no unicorns today?”

Alec sighs inwardly. He knows that sneering voice, and it sets his teeth on edge. The dig hurts more than usual because unicorns were for _Bella_ , and, well… Bella isn’t here anymore. The world seems colder and darker every time Alec’s reminded of that fact.

“No, Jace,” he answers curtly.

“So, uh… who’s the hot date?” Jace asks, leaning in conspiratorially. “Y’know, with all the flowers and girly shit, I thought for sure… well, I guess I had you figured all wrong.” He claps Alec hard on the back.

“She’s my sister,” Alec says, his voice cold and stiff.

“Oh,” Jace says, dumbfounded for the moment. Then, a sly grin spreads over his face. “So, uh...“ he starts, faux casually.

“Yes, she’s single. No, don’t ask me. She doesn’t need my permission. No, you won’t have any luck. Yes, you’re welcome to try,” Alec says, rattling off his answers to Jace’s anticipated questions.

Jace’s jaw drops for a moment, then he nods. He turns to walk away, then turns back. Alec sighs inwardly. Whatever this is, it’ll probably be unpleasant.

“So, uh… what team _do_ you play for?” he asks, leaning far too close. “Because now I’m curious… all the unicorn and fairy shit you wear…”

Alec actually wishes Maia was here. Even spending his time trying to calm her down and physically restrain her to prevent an altercation would be better than listening to Jace’s clumsy conjectures.

He opens his mouth to reply, but he doesn’t get a chance.

“Alexander!”

He turns, mouth going dry as he sees Magnus, resplendent in his gala finery.

“Magnus,” he says, probably looking stupid with his jaw on the floor. He hears a strangled noise and turns to see Jace looking Magnus from head to toe, then looking from Magnus to him and back. Alec sighs.

“Magnus,” he says again, but his tone is resigned now. “This is Jace. We work together. Jace was just asking me about my sexuality. More than likely, he is now trying to figure out how to ask if we’re together and, if so, who takes it up the ass.”

Magnus doesn’t miss a beat. He winks at Alec and turns to Jace, beaming and holding out his hand. “Magnus Bane, party planner, boyfriend to one very hot nurse, and vocal advocate of taking it up the ass.”

Alec snorts with laughter. Magnus looks at him with a warm smile. “Don’t worry,” he says in a conspiratorial whisper to Jace. “Sometimes I let him take a turn too…”

Alec laughs even harder. Fuck, this is amazing. _Magnus_ is amazing. His opinion of Magnus only improves as Jace sputters and turns bright red, actually _flailing_ a bit before he turns and flees without another word.

“I think you broke him,” Alec says, still chuckling.

Magnus shrugs. “Serves him right. Is he always like that?”

Alec shrugs back. “More or less. Open bar must’ve made him bolder than usual. Most days, he just makes snarky comments and side-eyes my scrubs.”

Magnus grimaces. “Ugh. He sounds like the worst kind of people.”

Alec shrugs again. “What can you do? And thanks for that. You didn’t have to do it, but it was - without a doubt - the funniest thing I’ve seen all year, so I’m really glad you did.”

Magnus laughs. “Glad to be of service,” he says with an elaborate bow.

Alec grins and starts to say something, but then, Magnus gets pulled away by the caterer. Alec doesn’t have too much time to miss him because he soon finds Maia and Izzy and enjoys regaling them with the story, which has them in hysterics.

“Oh my _god,_ ” Maia laughs, letting out a snort that has a serious-looking gentleman glaring at them. “That is the best thing I’ve _ever_ heard. God… I just wish I could’ve seen his _face…_ ”

Alec grins. “It was… amazing. Incredible.”

Izzy shoots him a sly glance but wisely doesn’t say anything. Good. He doesn’t need any more hints or shoves in Magnus’ direction. Magnus has had ample opportunities, and he hasn’t taken a single one.

 _Magnus’ loss,_ Alec tells himself, though it doesn’t feel true. Still, it’s all he has, so he clings to it.

-

Maia and Izzy drift away after a while, talking and laughing, completely engrossed in each other. They find themselves in a corner, cozied up and enjoying their bubbly. They’re not really sure where Alec went, but he can take care of himself. Maybe he went in search of Magnus, they say, with knowing grins.

Then a haughty grande dame passes in a truly horrendous puce gown, and all thoughts of Alec vanish. Their conversation becomes a lively one, full of snark and trash talk as they rank the best and worst outfits in their own version of a red carpet show. And _god,_ Maia looks so fucking gorgeous… Izzy has to remind herself to breathe every time she gets the full view of Maia’s look tonight. Her fingers itch to sketch Maia. She wonders idly if Maia would ever let Izzy design something specifically for her.

Maia exclaims, and Izzy blinks. Apparently there’s an outfit she just _has_ to see. Izzy smiles and joins Maia in mocking the notables and hoity toities. Then, they get food. And more food. And the rest of the evening is just… them. Hanging out. Having fun. Talking. Drinking. Eating. Being together. Izzy enjoys this kind of event, but she’s not sure she’s ever had as much fun at one as she is now. With Maia. Because Maia’s presence makes all the difference.

-

When Alec turns around, Maia and Izzy are gone. He cranes his neck, looking around for someone he knows, but he can’t find anyone. He sets off in search of them or Magnus, but he keeps being stopped by people asking him questions. It takes him an embarrassingly long amount of time to figure out why. Finally, he realises his face is plastered everywhere in the ballroom.

Well, okay, not _everywhere._ There’s a pretty even distribution of patients and staff when it comes to the elegant black and white pictures projected onto the walls. But the part of the video about the pediatric wing seems to feature Alec heavily. It’s completely unnecessary, in his opinion, and kind of embarrassing. But people keep stopping him to compliment him. Women keep giving him these _looks_ that make him very uncomfortable, and a few even slip him their phone numbers. He doesn’t get it. It’s just him in casual clothes hanging out with his patients. What about that would make someone want to fuck him? What’s the connection there?

There’s even a photographer who gives Alec his card and tells him _he_ could have a highly successful modelling career in this sniffy, condescending voice that makes it clear he thinks he’s doing Alec some kind of favour. Sadly for his modelling prospects, Alec can’t hold back his snort, which seems to mortally offend the photographer. Alec apologises profusely and escapes from the awkward encounter as soon as he can.

“Fuck,” he mutters to himself.

“You rang?”

Alec snorts again and turns to see Magnus.

“That was terrible, Magnus. It didn’t even make _sense._ ”

“Well,” Magnus says with an elegant shrug (which shouldn’t even be _possible_ since shrugs are inherently inelegant things), “you know what they say.”

“No, I don’t. What do they say?” Alec asks, chuckling a little.

Magnus laughs. “Many things, I’m sure.”

Alec rolls his eyes. “Had a little too much champagne, Magnus?”

Magnus acts affronted. “How _dare_ you, Alexander! There’s no such thing as too much champagne!”

Alec laughs, and they banter a bit more. Nothing significant or serious, just being playful and not making a whole lot of sense. But it’s fun. Alec likes it. It takes him out of his head a little, stops him over-analysing everything about his interactions with Magnus. Because he’s here and he’s full of fancy food and has a slight buzz from the alcohol and he’s feeling fancy and Magnus is beautiful and here and it’s just… _easy._ For once. He’s not thinking. Just speaking. Just enjoying himself.

Which is why, when Magnus asks him to dance, he only barely hesitates before saying yes. Well, actually he says, “What the hell. Let’s do it.” And then Magnus smirks at him until Alec realises what he’s said and blushes like fire. “Not like _that,_ ” Alec protests, but Magnus is already leading him onto the dance floor.

It’s only once they get out there that Alec realises this is not a club or a party or anywhere else he’s even remotely comfortable dancing. This is a fancypants work event with fucking _jazz_ or something playing. How the hell is he supposed to dance to this?!

But Magnus is right there, an arm slipping around his back, gently pressing Alec closer. And _oh,_ Magnus’ body feels _good_ against his, all warm and solid. He doesn’t know what to do with his hand, though. Magnus has to lift it and place it on his upper arm. Alec squeezes instinctively and barely chokes back the moan that rises in his throat. Magnus’ arm is all undulating muscle, a series of curves under his hand. And then Magnus is taking his other hand, holding it and lifting it. Alec stares at their joined hands. _He’s holding my hand,_ he thinks dazedly.  
  
Alec doesn’t really know what he’s doing, but Magnus corrects his errors gently. At first, Alec’s arms are too loose and floppy, but once he understands how to hold them, he’s more successful at understanding Magnus’ cues. And then Magnus pulls Alec closer, so close that it’s easy to follow his movements. And then they’re moving, Magnus steering them in slow circles. And he’s _good_ at this. All Alec has to do is hold his arms strong and steady, and Magnus will guide him. So Alec relaxes into it and trusts his partner.

They dance for a while, Alec losing track of time as he looks into Magnus’ face. He always looks incredible, but today he’s really outdone himself. His skin glows bronze, shimmering artfully in strategic places, eyes accented with dark purple liner to match the shade of his brocade waistcoat. His lips look so soft and pink and just a little shiny. Alec wants to know how he tastes, and the way Magnus is looking back at him…

But then, someone taps Magnus on the shoulder, and the moment breaks. There’s a crisis in the kitchen, apparently, and only Magnus can solve it. Immediately, Magnus is all business, dropping his arms and apologising politely to Alec before heading off to deal with the issue. He looks so purposeful, so competent, that Alec’s already shaky knees threaten to give out.

Well, _fuck._


	23. July 29 (pt 2)

Alec closes the door to his room. The spare room still isn’t fit for guests, so he’d insisted Izzy take his room. She’d protested, of course, but he’d overruled her in the end, telling her he gets up earlier and doesn’t want to disturb her. Izzy certainly loves her sleep and doesn’t get nearly enough of it between work and working on her portfolio, trying to prepare for fashion school. So, anything Alec can do to take care of her, he will, even if it’s something simple like trying to ensure a good night’s sleep.

Alec spreads the sheet over his couch cushions and tucks it in, then lays his pillow at one end and lies down, pulling the sheet and blanket over himself. He lets out a sigh and stares at the opposite wall. So little between him and Magnus. Some bricks and mortar, wood and sheetrock.

...So little and yet so much.

As Alec drifts off, he wonders sleepily what Magnus is thinking about.

-

Magnus collapses onto the couch with a groan, taking off his shoes and wiggling his tired feet gratefully. He’ll do a proper post mortem on the gala at work later, but right now, he just relaxes and grins triumphantly.

The food had been excellent and plentiful, the drinks flowing freely (and helping pry open some stubborn wallets). The final count isn’t in yet, but it’s already clear this is the hospital’s most successful fundraiser by a long shot. And a number of head administrators personally told Events by Bane personnel that they were definitely going to recommend hiring EbB again next year.

All in all, a smashing success.

Plus, he’d gotten to see Alexander in a tux, and what a sight _that_ was.

Magnus sighs. Not only a sight… Alec had felt so _good_ in his arms, all lean muscles and power. It’d made him long to feel that body without the inconvenient layers of fabric, made him imagine other situations where he could have his hands on Alec.

Poor Alexander. Magnus is fairly certain he’s interested, and if so, he must be so confused by Magnus’ behaviour. Magnus considers telling him about his moratorium on dating, but… the very thought makes his face feel hot with embarrassment.

If he’s so fucked up that his _therapist_ had to forbid him from _dating_ … why the hell would Alexander want him? Why would _anyone_?

No. He can’t tell him. Maybe he’s a coward, but he just can’t bear the curiosity. The pity when he hears the whole story. The nice way Alexander will tell him he’s not interested once he realises how _broken_ Magnus is.

No. But he can’t continue as he is either. It’s not fair to Alexander. So there’s only one option. To cut contact. To distance himself. To be polite and neighborly. But nothing more, no matter how much he wants it.

And _god,_ does he want it. Want _Alexander._

(He doesn’t think too much about his revelation from the other night. He’d been overtired, that’s all. Overworked and exhausted. He’s not **_in love_** with Alec. He can’t be. He won’t _let_ himself be.)

It’s not just the way he looks, though he’s fucking _gorgeous._ It’s… who he is. He’s a complete badass. Magnus has felt those muscles. Those don’t happen by accident. Alec’s _strong._ But it’s not just that. He’s chosen to be a _healer,_ to work with _kids._ He’s got such a big heart and is a caregiver in every sense of the word. Magnus has seen him with those he loves, with his sister and Maia and Simon. The way they are together speaks volumes. They love Alexander dearly, and he loves them back. What they have is real and true. True friendship. True family.

Which is _why_ Alexander will be fine, Magnus reminds himself. Alec doesn’t need _him._ It’s a depressing and dissatisfying thought after such a lovely evening, so he mentally goes through his checklist.

Decorations? On point. Sumptuous, yet tasteful.

Food and drinks? Delicious and abundant.

Media? Functioned perfectly. And _god,_ Alexander had looked handsome on a big screen.

Magnus can’t help getting a little sidetracked thinking of the photoshoot. Alec had just been so amazing with the kids, kind and caring but also upbeat and silly and completely relaxed, all without a hint of pity. For all his gentleness, he didn’t treat them like they were sick or broken or less than. He just treated them like _people_ , which is probably why they adore him.

It’s probably why Magnus does too.

Fuck.

But honestly, how the hell is Magnus supposed to resist this man? An insanely hot nurse who loves kids and is sweet as hell to them? Who’s secretly kinky (and must have half the contents of the Honey Pot hidden in his apartment by now), yet blushes adorably when Magnus flirts with him? That’s just, like… _cosmically_ unfair!

Not to mention he’s ridiculously charming without ever trying to be. And so _sweet,_ insisting on staying to help clean up after the gala until Magnus put his foot down and sent him home.

Not to _mention_ the look on his face while they were dancing…

Magnus sighs.

“Okay, no more Alexander thoughts,” he tells himself. “No more for now.”

Fortunately, the universe smiles on him then - in the form of Chairman demanding pets.

“It’s a good thing I have you, darling,” Magnus tells him. “I don’t know what the hell I’d do without you.”

Chairman meows and head butts Magnus’ hand, demanding attention. Magnus chuckles and embraces the distraction, spending time snuggling and petting Chairman until he finally drags himself to bed, exhausted but really fucking pleased with the success of the event. And if he dreams of Alexander, well… he can’t control his subconscious, so he doesn’t worry about it too much, even if he enjoys the experience more than he should.

-

Izzy snuggles up in bed and breathes in deeply. There’s something comforting about the familiar smell of Alec’s laundry detergent. She looks around the side of the room she can see and sighs. But when is Alec going to make this place a home? Sure, it smells like his aftershave and hair products, but it barely looks like anyone lives here. It’s been… what? Almost five months? It’s high time her brother got his ass in gear and did some decorating. There’s barely anything in here! Except…

Her eyes fall on the picture frame on his bedside table, one of the few personal touches, and she smiles. It’s one of those multi-frames holding several pictures. One is Alec with his arms around her. She has her eyes closed, and he’s looking down at her, his face glowing with pride and affection. Another is a picture taken from above of Maia and Alec. They’re lying on the hood of a car and making grotesque faces, each laughing a little and looking utterly carefree and happy. The last duo picture is Alec and Simon with their arms around each other. They’re unaware of the camera, facing slightly away, apparently talking to someone else, but they’re completely relaxed, comfortable being affectionate with each other. Something in Izzy’s chest twists a little. She’s glad that Alec has such friends, but it hurts to know that he spent so many lonely years without that kind of acceptance and support. Izzy reaches out and runs a fingertip over the glass that covers the final picture in the frame.

It’s from Alec’s birthday last year. Alec’s in the middle, laughing uproariously. There’s a gold top hat perched precariously on his head. Maia has one arm around his neck, the other flung outwards to show off the rainbow feather boa draped along it. Behind her, Simon’s grinning wide, showing off the pair of plastic fangs in his mouth. Izzy’s leaning against Alec’s other side, blowing the camera a kiss while Luke stands behind her, smiling broadly, his head adorned with a dog ear headband.

_Our family._

Maybe this year, she thinks, their picture will include Magnus. Because god knows Alec needs a little fun in his life, a little excitement of a different variety from the stuff he gets at work. And Magnus seems like the perfect person, honestly. Exactly the sort of person Alec needs in his life… but doesn’t allow himself to want.

Honestly, Izzy isn’t sure why the hell Magnus hasn’t made a move yet. Can’t he tell Alec will just pine away next door without someone giving him a kick in the ass? Or, better still, a _dick_ in the ass… Izzy snorts and laughs to herself. Alec really does need to get laid, though. It’s been so long that she doesn’t even remember the last date he went on. And Alec’s so nice, so good and caring. He deserves to be happy. And Magnus… well, Magnus _could_ make Alec happy, if he’d ever fucking make a move! Ugh. Izzy sighs and turns over. That’s a problem for another day.

Just like someone else in Izzy’s life… and fuck, she really doesn’t want to think about Maia right now, but how can she _not_ after this evening? After Maia showed up looking _gorgeous_ and didn’t leave her side once?

And fuck, Izzy promised Simon she’d try to be brave and make a move on Maia, but… it’s so fucking hard. What if she’s wrong about Maia being interested? What if Alec really _does_ have a problem with it?

_What if…?_

Izzy falls asleep before she can finish formulating her next question.

-

Maia shrugs off the suit jacket and drapes it over the chair in her bedroom with a happy sigh. She finishes undressing and gets ready for bed, groaning with pleasure as she flops onto the mattress. The gala was fun, but she’d had to pick up a shift today to cover for someone on top of her usual shift last night with only a few hours of sleep in between. It feels _amazing_ to be horizontal.

Despite her exhaustion, she’s glad she went tonight because _damn,_ the sight of Izzy in that _dress_ … fucking hell. Izzy’s always gorgeous, of course, but seeing one of her designs brought to life was an incredibly special moment, and Maia wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

And the rest of the evening had been lovely too, Izzy at her side for all of it, looking amazing, that blinding smile her best accessory. And the _scent_ of her… like vanilla and jasmine and almond and all kinds of other things intertwined into something complex and lovely and _Izzy._

But even more than her appearance, Maia loves Izzy’s company. She’s just… so much _fun,_ with her sparkling wit, quirky sense of humour, and (frankly adorable) passion for all things nerdy. And those _glasses_ of hers… they give Maia all _kinds_ of ideas.

Maia sighs and rolls over to turn out the light.

_If only…_

It takes her a while to fall asleep, and when she does, she dreams of Izzy. It’s raining and Izzy’s wearing the dress from tonight, twirling slowly, the skirt flaring around her, raindrops falling on her upturned face. She’s utterly beautiful. “Maia, come on!” Dream Izzy says, beckoning to her with a brilliant smile. Maia reaches out, but she’s yanked backwards, pulled away from the woman she loves. She spends the rest of the night trying to find her and get back to her.


	24. August 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In August...
> 
> Simon has a gig.
> 
> Maia and Izzy conspire.
> 
> Magnus needs some help with his cocktails.

Simon takes a deep breath when he sees Raphael walk in.

 _Okay. Today’s the day. You can do this, Simon,_ he tells himself, trying to believe it.

They go through their usual routine. Raphael’s cups are all marked Nina today, since they’re going through _In the Heights_ character names. Simon has been listening to the musical on Raphael’s recommendation, and he _loves_ it.

“So, uh,” Simon says, trying to sound casual as he hands Raphael the cup holder. “I’m… I’m playing at a bar next week? And, umm. You should totally come… if you want to, of course. No pressure or anything…” Simon bites his lip, unsure if he’s been too forward. Or if he’s been clear enough. But he has a feeling that, if he tries to clarify, he’ll just make it worse, so he leaves it at that.

Raphael just stares at him for a long moment. Simon lifts his chin and looks back. Now that it’s done, he feels a wave of relief sweep through him. A lot of relief and a bit of challenge. _That’s right, Raphael._ **_I_ ** _just asked you out. Now. What are_ **_you_ ** _gonna do about it, huh?_

Raphael's face is impassive, unreadable. Then, he asks, “What bar?”

Simon barely holds back his cheer (though it’s more of a squeal, honestly) because _is it just him_ or does it sound like Raphael is actually considering showing up?

“Umm. The Hunter's Moon?” Simon says. His voice comes out a little squeaky, but he thinks that’s understandable in his current situation.

“I know it,” Raphael says with a nod.

“So you’ll come?” Simon asks, just as Raphael asks, “What kind of music do you play?”

Simon laughs sheepishly. “Well, umm. I’ve tried a bunch of different genres. And band names, but I’m more of a solo act at the moment…” Realising he hasn’t answered Raphael’s question, he hastily adds, “I’m, uh, trying out a bit of an indie sound right now. Acoustic, intimate.”

It’s the truth but it feels like too much to say, somehow. Simon battles the urge to add to what he’s said. He knows his own tendencies when it comes to awkwardly trying to talk his way through something. It just never ends well.

Raphael just nods seriously. “Do you have a lot of people? At your shows?”

Simon flushes. “I, uh. Well. Not usually? But, you know… I’m just starting out and everything… and as a solo act… and with the new name…” He cuts himself off, realising he’s rambling. “Umm. No. Not really,” he says, trying for self-deprecating honesty (but probably just coming off as a loser, he thinks, his heart sinking).

Raphael nods gravely. “Okay.”

Simon blinks. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Raphael says again.

“Okay _what?_ ” Simon asks, mystified.

“I’ll come,” Raphael says.

Simon stares. If anything, that question about audiences had made him certain Raphael _wasn’t_ coming. Because who the fuck wants to come watch a loser play music by himself in an empty bar? But… Raphael’s coming.

_Why?_

“It’s, uh, Tuesday night. At 6:30. It’s only a half hour set,” Simon says. Because apparently he’s a fucking idiot who’s determined to shoot himself in the foot. _Way to sell it, Simon,_ he says to himself. _He’ll_ **_really_ ** _want to come now…_

“Okay,” Raphael says again. “I’ll be there.”

Simon gapes at him. “Umm. Okay then. I’ll… see you there?”

“Sounds good,” Raphael says. He gives Simon a little smile, takes his drinks, and heads for the door.

Simon shakes his head, _really_ not sure what that was all about. But, hey, it sounds like he’ll be seeing Raphael on Tuesday night, so he’ll count that as a win.

The blinding smile on Izzy’s face when he tells her makes Simon feel better too. Regardless of how awkward and ridiculous he’d felt in the moment, he _did_ do the thing and ask the cute guy out.

All in all, a _definite_ win.


	25. August 6

On Monday, Raphael casually lets it slip that he had a birthday last month and didn’t tell anyone. Dot immediately passes on the word to Magnus, who decides they must celebrate immediately to make up for their oversight. Both Ragnor and Raphael grumble at this, which amuses Magnus no end, but he will _not_ take no for an answer.

Instead, Magnus amuses himself by popping out of his office periodically to propose increasingly grandiose celebrations. Ragnor eventually has to put his foot down and ban all mention of celebrations for at least an hour so they can get some damn work done.

At about 5, Magnus looks up at a quiet knock on his door. He’s surprised to see Raphael there. When Raphael has an issue, he generally goes to Ragnor first, which makes sense with their rapport.

“What’s up, Raphael?” Magnus asks.

“I…” Raphael seems to hesitate, which surprises Magnus. He’s generally reserved and quiet, but not uncertain of himself. “I want to go to the Hunter’s Moon tomorrow night. 6:30.”

Magnus raises his eyebrows. “That’s… that’s what you want? For your birthday?”

Raphael nods decisively, apparently past his misgivings now that he’s gotten the words out. “Yes. That’s what I want.”

Magnus nods slowly. “It’s short notice, but let me check the calendar… looks like there’s nothing scheduled for tomorrow evening that can’t wait,” he says with a smile. He quickly adds an event to the calendar, sending invites to the others.

“Okay, done and done!” Magnus says. “Birthday cocktails are a go!”

Raphael gives him a smile, small but genuine, and Magnus can’t help but return it. He gets the sense that he’s just passed a test or something, and he’s glad for it.


	26. August 7

The next day is pretty much business as usual, but shortly after 6, Magnus swaps his blazer for a bomber jacket ‘to complete his day to night look,’ as he explains to the others. They close up the office and head to the Hunter’s Moon, which is a little farther than Brew Me, but still only a few blocks away.

Magnus is a little surprised by the interior of the place. It doesn’t really look like anything special from the outside, but it’s quite nice in here. It’s got the look of a happy neighborhood hangout, well-loved and comfortable with lots of weathered wood and a surprisingly well-stocked bar (that’s illuminated by geometric light fixtures Magnus kind of wants to ask about because they’re honestly pretty cool).

They walk in, and Raphael looks around for a minute before steering them toward a table by the tiny stage in the corner, which appears to be set up for some kind of musical performance.

Oh. So maybe Raphael had a _specific_ reason for wanting to be in this bar on this evening at this time.

Magnus goes to get a round of drinks and, by the time he returns, a few more people have arrived to wait for the show to start. The others in his group are chatting, and Magnus dives right into the conversation - an argument about Oscar-winning movies from the year before last - which is why it takes him so long to make the connection.

It’s not until Simon taps the mic and they all turn their attention to the stage that Magnus puts the pieces together.

_Oh._

**_Well, then._ ** Magnus will have to let Alec know their matchmaking plan is working.

Magnus watches the way Simon’s cheeks go a little pink when he sees Raphael. And then Simon smiles, bright and full, his entire attention seeming to rest on Raphael. Magnus risks a stealthy glance at Raphael, curious to see his reaction, and oh _yes,_ their plan is going very well _indeed._ Because Raphael’s smiling too, just a little quirk of his lips, but it changes his whole face, turning his expression soft. Fond. _Happy._

-

Simon’s set goes well. Surprisingly well, considering how distracted he feels with Raphael’s eyes on him. He can’t stop smiling. It’s a miracle he manages to remember the words to a single song.

And it’s well-attended, too, compared to the last one, which was about three people and Alec. That part isn't surprising since either Alec or Izzy is always at his shows. Sometimes they’re both there, but Alec has a shift tonight so it’s just Izzy this time. She sneaks in late after getting off work, but she’s here, standing at the back and beaming at him.

But Raphael… well, it seems Raphael somehow convinced Magnus, Ragnor, and Dot to come with him. And if the surprise on Magnus’ face (once Simon had finally managed to tear his eyes away from that _smile_ of Raphael’s) was any indicator, they hadn’t known why they were coming.

And now Raphael’s question from the other day makes sense. He wasn’t just deciding to _come_ to Simon’s show, he was plotting ways to _bring_ people. To make sure there would be a bigger audience.

For _Simon._

And that’s… shit, that’s just, like, the sweetest thing anyone’s done for him in a _really_ long time.

Simon makes it through his set with reasonable poise, thanks everyone for coming, and starts to pack up. His hands are shaking a little, and he’s both eager and nervous about talking to Raphael. Unless… unless Raphael is just planning to leave? Simon’s just about to turn to find out when he’s suddenly mobbed by friends, old and new: Izzy and Magnus and Dot descend on him. Once he emerges from the enthusiastic hugs and compliments, Simon sees Ragnor and Raphael hanging back a little. Ragnor gruffly claps him on the back, which seems like high praise from someone like Ragnor. And then there’s only Raphael left. Simon smiles tentatively at him, and Raphael smiles back. There’s something affectionate about the smile - and the way Raphael’s looking at him - that takes Simon’s breath away.

“Hi,” Simon says, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets because he has no fucking clue what to do with them.

“Hi,” Raphael replies. ”I wasn’t sure what to expect from your description, but… you were very good, Simon.”

Simon beams at him, feeling all warm inside. “Thank you. And… thank you for bringing people.”

“Of course,” Raphael says, still smiling.

Simon looks around a little sheepishly, feeling like he’s probably being rude to everyone else, but the others have drifted away to the bar, leaving him and Raphael together. And maybe he should be suspicious of this ‘coincidence’ (more likely, roll his eyes at how obvious they’re being), but right now, he just wants to bask in that amazing smile.

Simon puts away the rest of his equipment with Raphael standing close as they talk quietly. He’s grateful to have something to do with his hands since he feels less awkward this way. When it’s all done, he piles it in the corner at the table his friends have commandeered and then turns to Raphael.

“I’m so glad you came,” he says quietly.

“You asked me,” Raphael says. As though it’s obvious. As though that _means_ something.

Only problem is, Simon has _no idea_ what the hell that might mean. And then a horrifying thought occurs to him.

“Umm. Thanks so much for bringing people but… like. You do know that I was asking you out?” Simon blurts out the words, then snaps his mouth shut, sure his horror must be clear on his face.

Raphael chuckles. “Yeah. I know.”

Simon does an involuntary impression of a fish as he stares at Raphael, waiting for more words that don’t come.

“... _And?!_ ” he says finally.

“And I came,” Raphael says. “Because you asked.”

And again, Simon feels like those words are more of an answer to Raphael than they are to him, but… Raphael’s smiling again and his cheeks have gone a shade darker and… holy shit.

“You want to go out? With me?” Simon whispers. _Classy, Simon._ Raphael just chuckles.

“Well. We have some things we’ll have to discuss before we can be sure we _both_ want that, but for my part? Yeah. I want to date you.”

Holy _shit._

“You, uh… you want to date me. Ohmy _god,_ you want to _date_ me!” The words just tumble out as Simon’s mind tries to grasp the concept.

Raphael laughs. It starts as another chuckle then grows until his shoulders are shaking with it.

“Well, like I said, we have some things to talk about first, but… yes, Simon. _Yes._ ”

“I do too,” Simon says. He closes his eyes in embarrassment, then opens them and tries again. “I mean. Obviously. Since I asked you out and all. But I _do._ I really, _really_ do.”

Their luck and solitude run out then as the others return en masse, bearing alcohol and more congratulations. Before he knows it, Simon’s seated at the table talking about his music, ill-fated former band names, and more. Normally, after a set, he packs up his stuff and leaves. Maybe has a drink if someone offers or left a good tip. This is different. It’s fun. And it’s all because of Raphael.

Simon smiles across the table at Raphael and wonders how he got to be so lucky.


	27. August 10

Maia collapses onto her couch with a sigh. She’s just gotten home from a long shift, and she’s super fucking glad to be off her feet. She’s got some delicious pad thai to eat and some mindless tv to watch. In other words, the ingredients for a perfect evening. Well. It’s morning, but it’s _her_ evening.

Her phone buzzes, and she sighs. She debates for a moment whether or not to look at it since, depending on who it is, the call could totally ruin her plans for relaxing.

It’s Izzy. There’s a text notification from her too. Something about Alec. Maia picks up.

“Hi, Izzy.”

“Hey! _So,_ I wanted to pick your brain…” Maia can’t help smiling at the excitement evident in Izzy’s voice. Her enthusiasm is so endearing. It’s one of Maia’s favourite things about her.

“My brain’s yours for the picking. What’s up?”

“Okay, _so,_ you know Alec’s birthday is coming up…”

Maia chuckles. “I do know that. What’d you have in mind?”

Izzy laughs, then sighs. “I don’t _know._ That’s why I called _you!_ You’re, like, the queen of good ideas, babe.”

Maia’s breath hitches at the endearment. When she remembers how to breathe, she says, “Well, he’s turning 30, right? That’s a big one.”

“Yeah,” Izzy says, then pauses, her wheels clearly turning. “Oh shit… He came out his junior year, didn’t he? Which would’ve been when he was 20… right?”

Maia thinks back. “I… think you’re right,” she says slowly. “God, I can’t believe it’s been ten years!”

Izzy’s words tumble over themselves in her haste. “I know, right?! Okay, is it just me or should we do something special? I mean. There’s so _much_ to celebrate!”

“No, I totally agree,” Maia says. “We should definitely make this a big one.”

And then it occurs to her. Parties and events. Flashes of the hospital gala fly through her head.

“Oh. My. Fucking. _God…_ **_Izzy._ ** _What if we get_ **_Magnus_ ** _to plan the party?_ ”

For once in her life, Izzy is stunned speechless. For a long moment, she says nothing. Then, the dam breaks.

“ _Holy. Shit…_ **_Maia_** _._ You devious diva! I. _Love._ You. Yes. Yes yes _yes._ This is **_perfect_** _!_ ”

Maia laughs and laughs, infected with Izzy’s delight, but Izzy just keeps going.

“No, but like. _Seriously!_ This is why I come to you for ideas! Argh! I could just _kiss_ that beautiful brain of yours!”

Maia’s glad they’re on the phone then because this way, Izzy can’t see her expression change at the thought of Izzy’s lips on _other_ parts of her body.

And yeah, maybe she cares about Izzy a little (a _lot_ ) more than just as friends, but if this is all she can have, she’s not going to throw away her shot. Being Izzy’s friend is precious to her.

Maia shakes her head to clear it, and Izzy’s still talking a mile a minute, super excited about their crafty plan. They brainstorm for a while and it’s just… so much _fun._

Maia laughs. It just bubbles up inside and flows out of her. Izzy’s enthusiasm is infectious, and Maia loves getting to be a part of her wacky plans. Especially this one. Alec deserves to be celebrated. And if it serves a dual purpose of getting to talk up her bestie to the boyfriend he deserves, well, so much the better.

“Shit,” she says, realising something. “What about money, though? I mean. We were all at that gala. There’s no way Magnus’ event planning services come cheap.”

She can almost hear Izzy’s wink over the phone. “Maia, come _on._ The guy’s smitten. You’ve seen the way he looks at Alec. I’ll bet you $5 that he offers to do it for free.”

Maia chuckles. “Well… he _does_ seem awfully nice. Maybe he’ll take pity on us, if nothing else.”

“Just leave it to me,” Izzy says firmly, and Maia knows her well enough to know that, right now, she’s pushing up her glasses in that determined way she has, her jaw set and eyes fierce.

“You’re the boss,” Maia says with a fond smile.

They talk a little longer, agreeing on what to say to Magnus (and that this _definitely_ needs to be a surprise for Alec). When they hang up, Maia finishes her food with a smile on her face. The chance to celebrate her bestie is exciting, plus she can’t help but relish the opportunity to hang out and conspire with Izzy for the next month. Involving Alec’s crush in the planning is just icing on the cake. Metaphorically speaking, since Alec isn’t the biggest fan of cake. Maia chuckles at the memory of Izzy saying, “No cakes!” in her best Edna Mode impression.

No cakes. Lots and lots of Izzy. What could be better?


	28. August 15

Magnus is delighted when an appointment with the lovely Izzy and Maia shows up on his calendar. Delighted… and a little mystified.

They look excited and a little giddy when they arrive, and Magnus can’t help smiling at the sight of them. He may only have known them a short while, but he likes both of them a great deal.

“Welcome to Events by Bane,” he says. “Bane’s the name, lavish is the game.” He grins at them, exceedingly pleased with himself. The motto is his latest brainchild, and he’s currently using it at every opportunity. It’s driving Ragnor _crazy,_ which is at least 45% of the reason Magnus is doing it (the rest is because he’s a sucker for a cheesy rhyme).

Maia snorts and Izzy laughs, so Magnus chalks that up as a grand success. “So, what’s up?” he asks, relaxing from business patter into friendly conversation.

The two women exchange glances, then Izzy turns to him. “We’re actually here for work. To hire you.”

“Oh?” Magnus asks, uncertain where this is going (or how to tell them they almost certainly can’t afford him).

“Yeah,” Izzy says. “So, we have this party we want you to plan. For Alec.”

Maia chimes in. “It’s for his birthday.”

Oh. Magnus blinks.

“Okay....” he says slowly, trying to buy himself some time to figure out what to say. What to _think,_ even. Alexander’s birthday is coming, and they want _him_ to plan the party… not even a week after he’d decided he needed to distance himself from Alec.

_Shit._

“He’s 30 this year,” Izzy says, giving him pleading eyes. And _damn,_ those are some highly effective puppy dog eyes.

“So, here’s what we’re thinking…” Maia says, leaning forward, level headed and practical as she outlines their idea.

As he listens, Magnus has a sinking feeling that, when faced with this formidable duo, he doesn’t stand a chance.

-

Izzy and Maia leave with cheery waves and big grins. It’s not until the door to his office closes that Magnus realises that he agreed to their request. He buries his face in his hands and groans.

Fuck. Fuckfuck _fuck._

Why the hell did he say yes?

_Why?_

This is… this goes against everything he’d _just_ decided. How the fuck is he supposed to distance himself from Alec when he’s going to be planning his birthday party? Magnus, well… he takes event planning very seriously. He tries to understand the person the event is for and then does everything he can to ensure that the event truly suits them and the things they like. And if that person is Alec, well… it’s going to be _extremely_ hard not to get too invested… _especially_ with all he’s learned today about some of the things Alec’s been through. Magnus’ heart goes out to the Alec of ten years ago, finally daring to come out publicly and promptly being rejected by his parents.

True, Alec had mentioned his coming out story in passing during Lightwood Family Day, but he’d done so in the broadest strokes possible, brushing over how badly it’d gone and the pain he must have felt. Something along the lines of: “I came out. It didn’t go well, but I had Simon and Luke and everything turned out fine in the end.” Maia and Izzy hadn’t been so… gracious to the Lightwood parents.

And honestly? Magnus is angry now. Fuck Alec’s parents. Fuck them for making Alec too nervous to come out for so many years. Fuck them for hurting Alec, who’s so kind and caring and _good._ Fuck them for making Alec feel like his true self isn’t worthy, isn’t acceptable, isn’t lovable, isn’t _loved._ Just… _fuck_ those _assholes._

Magnus realises his hands are clenched into fists. He forces himself to relax and take a deep breath. He looks down and reviews his notes. If it hadn’t been for the white-knuckled grip he’d had on his chair beneath his desk the entire time, it would’ve been a fun planning meeting. And it’s not like he doesn’t care or doesn’t _want_ to be involved (in fact, the chair gripping thing had been him trying to _hold back_ all his over-the-top suggestions), it’s just that… he’s honestly a bit terrified that he’s simply unable to control himself where Alexander is concerned.

And he _knows_ Ragnor won’t be happy about the fact that Magnus has refused all payment. But… it’s _Alec._ How the fuck can he take money from Alec’s family to plan a party to celebrate Alec’s resilience and strength and growth and courage? That would’ve just felt… wrong. Off. He couldn’t accept his usual fee for that. And even if he’d been able to stomach the idea, they couldn’t have paid it.

Which, come to think of it, would have been a good way to get out of doing it. But, again, there’s just something inside him that won’t let this opportunity pass, if for no other reason than that a selfless and wonderful person like Alec deserves to be in the spotlight from time to time. And Magnus will make _sure_ he gets the event he deserves.

He opens a new document and starts jotting down ideas. _Can I work in a hardware theme somewhere, just as a joke?_ he wonders. Would Alec even get it? He’s seemed remarkably obtuse about it thus far…

Time passes quickly, and Magnus is startled when Raphael knocks on the door and tells him his next appointment is here. Well, at least he got a good start on party planning. He’s got lots of ideas already.


	29. August 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we've made some changes around here! Instead of a series with one fic for each month, I've combined it all into one fic since that's more convenient for me (and, hopefully, you!). I will stick to my current schedule of updating this fic every weekend.
> 
> Sorry for the delay in posting this week! This section gave me some trouble in editing, but I wrestled it into compliance in the end! Major thanks to Kaye for a last minute reread & to Taupe for not giving up on me and patiently discussing it just one. more. time.

Magnus sighs as he stares into the empty canister. He’s having the Events by Bane team over for dinner to thank them for all the hard work they put into the gala last month, and for some reason he can’t remember right now, he’d decided it’d be a good idea to cook for them. (The reason, of course, is because he loves cooking and entertaining, loves feeding his friends.) But apparently sugar hadn’t made it onto his shopping list, and he needs it to make the simple syrup for the cocktails. He can’t run out to the store, because they’ll be here in 30 minutes, and he still has to finish up the food.

An idea pops into his head, but he ignores it. _No._ He’s _definitely_ not going to see if Alec’s home and ask if he can borrow a cup of sugar. That’s the worst kind of cliché. Or the beginning of a terrible porno. Either way, he’s keeping his distance. No contact with Alec unless absolutely necessary. Magnus nods emphatically. “That’s _right,_ ” he tells Chairman, who ignores him and goes on eating his dinner.

“I’m definitely _not_ going to ask Alec,” he says aloud, just to confirm it.

Seven minutes - and one failed honey-based cocktail later - he’s knocking on Alec’s door, empty cup in hand.

 _Well… this is fucking_ **_great_** _._

-

There’s a knock on the door. When Alec opens it, he sees Magnus leaning against the doorframe. He’s acting nonchalant, but his lips are twitching with laughter. Alec sighs in mock disapproval as he pretends not to admire the way Magnus’ shirt clings to his chest and arms, the way his pants sit low on his hips.

“Yes? What do you want?” he asks, pretending to be irritated, but he knows he’s not fooling anyone since he keeps almost smiling and has to get himself back under control.

“Well, _howdy_ , neighbour,” says Magnus, drawing out the words. “I just thought I’d stop by to see if I could borrow a cup of sugar.”

Alec gapes at him for a second, then snorts.

“ _Sugar,_ Magnus? _Really?_ ”

Magnus laughs. “I’m all out,” he says with a shrug. “ _But!_ I’m here to propose a trade,” he says, his lips twitching as he brings a hardware store package out from behind his back.

“Oh, thanks,” Alec says, reaching for it. Magnus pulls it back with a wink and a coy shake of his head.

Alec chuckles. “Are you going to hold my package hostage unless I give you some sugar?”

Magnus just stares at him for a brief moment, then he gives Alec a lazy once-over, eyes wandering over Alec’s body, eyelashes lowered to devastating effect. Alec gulps, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks.

“Not _this_ time,” Magnus drawls, smirking at Alec. Alec inhales slowly, feeling like he can breathe again now that Magnus isn’t _looking_ at him like that… like he wants to _devour_ Alec. And truth be told, Alec is more than up for it - as long as he gets to devour in return… it’s only fair, especially after so many months of looking and not being able to touch… But Alec can’t think about that right now, or there’ll be more than one package for Magnus to look at.

Magnus continues, “As… _tempting_ as the offer is, I really _must_ be getting back soon… so, let me cut to the point.” He puts on a serious face that’s almost funnier than his smirk. “I give you the _package,_ ” he says, putting a confusing amount of emphasis on the word, “and you give _me_ a cup of sugar. A… quid pro quo, one might say.”

“I don’t know why one _would,_ ” Alec mutters under his breath.

Magnus doesn’t appear to hear him. He gives Alec a pointed look. “So? Are you going to make me wait on your doorstep or are you going to invite me in?”

Alec grins, determined to tease back, give as good as he’s getting. “What are you, some kind of vampire?” he asks.

“If one of us is a vampire, it’s certainly not _me,_ ” Magnus shoots back. “ _I’m_ not the one who’s gone all night and never appears in the light of day.”

Alec doesn’t have a comeback for that one, so he just chuckles and steps back to let Magnus enter. Magnus walks in, looking around him in a dramatic performance of surprise that makes Alec laugh.

“You’ve _been_ here before, Magnus,” Alec says, rolling his eyes. “What are you looking for?”

“Oh, I just I expected to see your… _equipment_ everywhere.” Magnus waggles his eyebrows suggestively. He leans in close and says in a stage whisper, “Since you’ve been adding to your collection, you know…” He nudges Alec’s shoulder significantly.

Alec nods, starting to understand the game they’re playing. And the thing is, Alec’s well acquainted with this particular field of play. Magnus may have met someone who will give him a run for his money.

Alec leans in close to Magnus. “I _have_ picked out some new toys… and as it so happens, _this_ particular package? Contains _super lube…_ ”

Magnus stares at him for a moment, then swallows hard, and Alec grins in triumph. He’s still not sure what Magnus’ fascination is with his mail, but it _does_ open up a whole avenue of possibilities. And really, it’s about time Magnus got a taste of his own medicine.

“You know… it’s very important to have the right… _tools_ for the job, Magnus,” he says seriously, doing that thing where he looks up at someone through his eyelashes. He has it on good authority that it’s a very effective tactic, and judging by Magnus’ reaction, it really, really is. Magnus gulps, the tips of his ears going red, and it’s fucking _adorable._

Always one to spot a strategic opening, Alec continues, “I mean, it all really depends on what you’re looking to do, you see… if you really need to… _hammer_ your point home, for example, or need to be _drilled_ …”

Magnus is starting to recover his composure, his eyes starting to flash with humour again. And something else, something like challenge.

“Oh yeah?” Magnus asks. “And what if I want to be _screwed?_ ”

Alec nods, pretending to take Magnus’ question seriously. “Well, you’ll need different… _equipment_ than if you’re looking to get _nailed_ or _railed,_ obviously, and if you want to make a _real_ statement, well, there’s always the Miley approach.” He mimes licking a sledgehammer, and Magnus snorts.

“So, what did you have in mind for this… super lube?” Magnus asks with a smirk.

“Oh, nothing much. I have some ball bearings in need of lubrication,” Alec says airily. “And if there’s any left over, I might use it to polish my knob or something,” he adds casually.

Magnus makes a noise that sounds suspiciously like he’s choking on his own tongue, and Alec just gives him a grin full of triumph and challenge.

“Where do you keep it all?” Magnus asks.

“Oh, all my _toys?_ ” Alec asks, still grinning. “I keep them in the spare bedroom.”

“You have a separate _hardware room_? Ooh, _kinky_.”

Alec just laughs. God, this is fun.

“Can you show me?” Magnus asks. _Purrs,_ really. God, how does Magnus make the most boring and ordinary of words sound so sinful? It’s honestly ridiculous. “Or is the tour for… _special guests?_ ”

For a moment, Alec’s distracted - seduced, really - by Magnus’ velvety tone. And then he realises what Magnus is asking.

“No,” he says, immediate and curt. “No, sorry… shit. I just mean. It’s not, uh, not ready for people to see yet.”

Magnus’ eyes narrow, and he looks at Alec like Alec’s a mystery he wants to solve. Or maybe like, if he stares long enough, he’ll be able to read Alec’s mind. Alec casts about for an excuse to change the subject, and his eyes fall on the mug in Magnus’ hand. Heaving a sigh of relief, he goes and gets the sugar container, setting it down in front of Magnus. Magnus stares at it blankly as though he’s never seen this strange white substance before.

“Your reason for dropping by?” promptly Alec, rolling his eyes again.

“Oh. _Oh._ Right. Yes, of course, neighbour,” says Magnus, instantly switching to an exaggerated southern drawl. “Thank you _so_ very much.” He fills his mug with sugar and then looks a bit at a loss for words, his expression genuine and somehow softer.

“Erm. I just. Sorry. About earlier. I… don’t know what came over me. I really _do_ need the sugar, so thank you. And, uh. Now I need to get home before my dinner burns…”

And with that, Magnus _bolts_ for the door, gone as suddenly as he appeared. Alec stares after him open-mouthed.

“Well, that’s a first,” he remarks to the empty apartment. Several firsts, in fact. Magnus seeming flustered (which was kind of a fun sight, if Alec’s honest) and a transparent excuse for flirting (or the setup of many a porno, Alec’s mind helpfully informs him) that turned out to be factual and true against the odds.

Alec closes his door. He shakes his head in disbelief as he gets back to cooking his own dinner. What a bewildering, fascinating man Magnus Bane is.

-

Inside his apartment, Magnus leans heavily on his front door. “ _Fuck,_ ” he whispers, eyes wide in horror. He nearly spills the sugar as he facepalms, then carries the cup to the counter like it’s made of glass and pours the sugar in the pan to make the simple syrup. There’s no way in nine hells he’s going back to ask Alec for _more…_

But just. Shit. Dammit. Fuck. That couldn’t have gone _worse._ He’d been so flirty! Every other word had been innuendo! Where the fuck does this nonsense come from?! Why the fuck won’t his mouth cooperate with his brain?! _Bad_ mouth! _No!_ He can’t have Alec.

He… can’t have Alec… He just _can’t._

Magnus takes a deep, shuddering breath. That’s what’s at the root of this, isn’t it? He can’t _have_ Alec, but everything in him _wants_ him. His body, his voice, his eyes, his tongue… they all betray Magnus’ want with every word and glance and touch. It’s pervasive, all-consuming. Magnus isn’t sure he’s ever wanted someone this much before.

But… Magnus feels like a broken record as he repeats the words that are quickly becoming his motto, at least where Alec’s concerned.

_Keep your distance. It’s better for you both. You’ll only hurt him if you let him in._

And clearly, that’s the best choice because hurting Alec is _not_ an option. Magnus just wishes there was an option where _he_ didn’t have to hurt. Because… fuck, this is going to be harder than he thought.


	30. September 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang gathers for a celebration. A big reveal follows.
> 
> Simon and Raphael decide they're partners in crime - or something along those lines.
> 
> Maia and Izzy try to keep busy with party planning but get a little distracted by each other.

Magnus groans as his phone goes off. Again. Ever since he agreed to plan Alec’s party, Maia and Izzy have been bombarding him with suggestions, each wilder than the next.

A few things have emerged from the hailstorm of ideas, fortunately. The party must be a surprise. They can’t hold it at Alec’s, so they’ll need to find a different venue that won’t arouse Alec’s suspicion. (Fortunately, Magnus had been alone when _that_ text came through so no one had been around to see him sputter at the phrasing.) And in order to make the planning work, everyone else will have to be in on it.

Maia and Izzy absolutely _insist_ that the Events by Bane team be there to celebrate, despite Magnus’ protests to the contrary. To his surprise, everyone else in the office seems quite amenable to the proposal, but then he (perhaps a bit cattily, but true nonetheless) supposes that Raphael is unlikely to turn down any chance to see Simon. Magnus might not know what Dot and Ragnor’s agenda is, but he’s sure they’re up to _something_ since it’s highly unlike Ragnor to want to go to a social event without being forced. Ragnor can actually be quite jovial in small groups, but at the same time, he’s a stubborn motherfucker who claims only to need books and numbers, so who can pretend to comprehend him?

Magnus himself is having some doubts about the event. Being bombarded with ideas from clients isn’t exactly new or unheard of, but Maia and Izzy’s ideas don’t always jive with his own, and he’s having trouble selecting a theme.

And then… it comes to him in a flash as he’s relaxing after dinner. He starts, upsetting Chairman from his throne on Magnus’ lap. He grabs his phone and texts Maia and Izzy.

_Since it’s the anniversary of Alec’s coming out, what if we made queerness the theme of the party?_

God, it seems so stupid when he says it like that. He’d better explain.

_Kind of like… a costume party, maybe? Where everyone dresses as a queer person from history? The theme could be We’re Here & We’re Queer? The decor could be rainbow-y? _

The others text back their approval with copious emojis and a flurry of costume suggestions for the attendees, and Magnus settles in to plan in earnest.

-

They settle on Luke’s as the party venue. It’ll keep costs down, something both Izzy and Maia insist on. They’re not exactly flush, and they refuse to allow Magnus to pay for anything since he’s already offering his services pro bono. As it turns out, they really didn’t need to worry about cost.

As soon as they approach Luke about the idea, he agrees wholeheartedly and volunteers to provide some of the food. Simon says he doesn’t have a clue about decor but insists on contributing so they don’t have to hold back. And after that, the offers just keep coming. Once the Events by Bane crew gets wind of the operation, they won’t take no for an answer either. Even Ragnor doesn’t scold Magnus at all for taking an unpaid gig and unbends as far as to give him a positively approving smile after he hears about it, which is so rare that Magnus initially thinks it _must_ be gas.

Then, Dot comes in to work and wants to know if her girlfriend can come since she apparently knows Alec from work. Magnus checks and is utterly unprepared for the screaming texts he gets in return from Maia and Izzy.

Izzy replies almost as soon as he sends the text.

_Oh. My. Fucking. God. CATARINA LOSS wants to come??? Alec will DIE!!!!!_

Maia’s response follows a second later.

_YES._

Then she adds, _LOL. So just FYI… Catarina is Alec’s absolute HERO. It would rock his world if she came._

Magnus laughs and relays all of this to Dot, who grins and says that clearly Alec has good taste in people because there’s no quicker way to Dot’s heart than to talk about the virtues of the woman she adores.

Apart from that addition, they keep the guest list small - Alec’s close friends and family only. Magnus feels like an intruder and keeps trying to get himself removed from said list, but the others are adamant. He _has_ to be there. Magnus sighs and reluctantly agrees. He supposes it won’t be _too_ bad if his friends are there. And actually, what with Raph and Simon seemingly interested in each other and finding out that Cat is Alec’s idol, their friend groups are apparently starting to overlap quite significantly. So, all in all, he’d probably better get used to it. Much as he’d resolved to stay away from Alec, that simply isn’t possible.

Except… _fuck._ How is Magnus supposed to keep himself under control if he’s spending all this time around Alec? He’s beginning to think Alexander Lightwood is his kryptonite. He’s certainly going to have to talk to his therapist Celia about Alec because he needs some help dealing with this mess of a situation. Maybe when she reminds him of the reason behind the moratorium on dating or (better still) forbids him outright, it’ll help him remember to behave. Yes, that’s a good plan. He’ll definitely bring it up on his next appointment.

-

It’s harder to keep their plans a secret than Maia expected. Izzy can plead busy because of her work schedule, but Maia sees Alec at work nearly every day, and it’s hard to pretend nothing’s going on when her mind is buzzing with possibilities and excitement for an event that feels long overdue.

As long as Maia can remember, Alec’s never made much of a big deal on his birthday. It’s not that he doesn’t like to celebrate, he just always seems to put the focus on others somehow. One year, Simon had just gotten into grad school. Another time, Izzy had just decided to start working toward her dreams in fashion. The next year, Luke had just been promoted. And somehow, each time, they’d ended up focused on that person. Every time there’d been a pause in the conversation, Alec had drawn more information out of that person, bragged on them a little more, and so it had continued.

Maia is _determined_ this year will be all about Alec. He’s turning 30, for fuck’s sake! And he’s been out for 10 years despite all the grief he’d gone through with his parents at the start. And part of making it about Alec involves keeping it a _surprise._

But it’s not easy when her mind’s full the awesome queer people in history she’s learning about, when she longs to just start a conversation about colours to try to suss out his favourite shades for the rainbow colour scheme of the decor. So, instead, Maia takes refuge in talking about the one thing she _always_ has thoughts about. Well, there are quite a few, actually, but the most significant is Izzy.

She stores up each little gem from their conversation because bragging on Izzy and sharing little anecdotes? That’s _safe,_ unlike whatever randomness may be living in her brain. Alec’s a smart cookie, and she simply will not risk him figuring out their master plan. They’ve got too much invested. Despite his inexplicable reluctance (which they keep reassuring him about), _Magnus_ will be there. Magnus dressed as _Freddie Mercury._ If _that’s_ not enough to get Alec to make a move, Maia doesn’t know what _is._

And it goes both ways, too. Maia grins to herself as she remembers the costume they’ve selected for Alec. Because with the amount of manly skin Alec will have on display, Magnus will have trouble picking his jaw up off the floor…

-

Alec is 99% sure that Izzy and Maia are dating. Every time he sees them together, they’re giving each other significant, mysterious smiles. Every time he’s around one of them, she seems to be texting the other person incessantly. And they only seem to talk about each other these days…

And honestly?

Awesome. He couldn’t be happier.

He just doesn’t understand why it’s a _secret._

But he bites his tongue and bides his time, not wanting to intrude. It’s their business.


	31. September 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my wooooord. This chapter would not END! Please excuse any mistakes since I finished this literally *just* now after doing almost a complete rewrite, and I need the satisfaction of posting tonight LOL.

Maia and Izzy agonise over which characters to pick for Alec’s party. After a flurry of texts back and forth, considering options like Sally Ride and Florence Nightingale and Gladys Bentley and Eleanor Roosevelt and Janelle Monae, they finally settle on the perfect characters - Izzy will be fashion icon Katherine Hepburn and Maia will be jazz songbird Billie Holiday. _It’ll be perfect,_ Maia thinks, happily anticipating looking for an amazing period-appropriate dress online. Maybe something fancy - with sequins! - because it’s kind of fun to wear something that’s a complete departure from her usual style at an event like this. Plus, at her last fancy event, she went the dapper route. Maybe it’s time for some glitz and glam.

However, Maia soon realises that’s easier said than done. She scours the internet but can’t find many options in her price range that fit the bill. Fortunately, she knows the world’s best bargain shopper and doesn’t hesitate to call.

“Hey, Izzy, I _cannot_ find what I’m looking for. Do you have any ideas?”

As usual, Izzy comes through in a big way.

“Oh, sure! I know the perfect place - I was going to head there after work. Do you want to come?”

Which makes Maia laugh. As if she would ever pass up the chance to spend time with Izzy, _particularly_ while trying on awesome vintage clothes.

“You’re a _lifesaver._ That’d be perfect. I can pick you up from Brew Me?”

“That would be perfect! Simon gave me a ride today, and I was already scratching my head over bus schedules because I didn’t want to waste time going all the way home. You’re the best!”

Maia smiles for at _least_ thirty minutes after she hangs up, though that smile has nothing on the bright, beaming one she gives Izzy when she gets in the car after work.

“Shopping time!” Izzy cries, flinging her arms around Maia’s neck. Maia laughs and hugs her tightly.

“Yes!” Maia says enthusiastically. “We’re going to find awesome clothes and try on _all_ the hats and put on the world’s best fashion show… at least until yours,” she says with a grin.

“ _Aww,_ ” Izzy says, blowing Maia a kiss. “I said it, and I stand by it: you’re the _best._ ” Maia beams at her, happy beyond words. Then Izzy smirks. “But I? Am _also_ the best,” she says smugly, somehow producing a cup carrier containing two tall drinks from one of her bags.

“Ohmy _god,_ ” Maia says. “Is that a Krakatoa?!” The mocha-coconut concoction is her absolute favourite.

“Every shopping trip needs refreshments,” Izzy says with a nonchalant shrug, her eyes twinkling. “Of _course_ it is!” she says in response to Maia’s question. “Only the best for my boo!”

Maia didn’t think she could blush, but Izzy might be testing that today. “Thanks,” she says. “It’s been kind of a long day, and I can’t think of any better way to spend my afternoon.” _And my evening… and my morning… and my night…_ she thinks.

“So, what was going on today?” Izzy asks, taking a sip of her own drink, an iced black coffee by the looks of it. Maia smiles. They’re such creatures of habit.

“Well, you know that asshole at work? He was trying to pick on me - I don’t even know why he bothers. It never ends well for him…” Maia starts. The conversation is lively and full of expletives and before she knows it, Izzy’s telling her to turn into the parking lot of a quaint little consignment store that looks like it was once a cute two-story house.

“Oh, you’ve told me about this place! I’ve been dying to come here!” Maia says, excited she’ll finally get to see the place Izzy’s found so many awesome pieces at such good prices.

They head inside and are immediately assaulted by a smorgasbord of delights. Every nook and cranny of the place is _filled_ with stuff. Izzy explains it’s roughly divided up with each room as a different category of clothing or item, but the women’s section spans several rooms, with a trial area down at the end of the largest room. Maia grins as she takes in the row of stalls and array of mirrors by the big bay windows. There are even cushy chairs for people to sit in while they wait.

“This is _perfect,_ ” she says, looking around in glee. She grabs a fedora off a nearby hat stand and strikes a post. “Let us begin!” she says dramatically with a sweeping gesture of her arm. Izzy laughs so much at this that they can’t begin for a full three minutes as Maia chuckles and waits for to calm down.

Once they do start looking, though, it’s clear this place is a _goldmine._ They have _everything_ \- feather boas, costume jewellery, vintage shoes of all varieties, and rack upon rack of fantastic dresses. Maia and Izzy have a _blast._ They make fun of the hideous things they find, show each other lots of amazing possibilities for their costumes and their usual wardrobes, and pick out a veritable mountain of things to try on.

It’s just so much _fun._ Maia loves spending time with Izzy. They’re so… compatible, balancing each other well with just enough conflict to generate sparks. It’s the best time she’s had in ages. She laughs until her sides hurt at Izzy’s nonstop antics - prancing around the store wearing a southern belle hat worthy of the Kentucky Derby and pulling faces at a dress made entirely of puce feathers, of all things. The place is a bit of a maze, but fortunately, Izzy knows her way around it, guiding Maia through the unknown seas with a steady hand.

They even pick up what they both agree must be the ugliest dress known to humankind, covered in ruffles and pleats and ruching and in a shade that can only be described as ‘vomit’ (since they can’t agree on whether it’s yellow or green or brown but _do_ agree it’s completely and utterly foul).

There’s only one dressing room open, and Maia insists Izzy go first. Izzy tries on a few things, including a rather fabulous pantsuit and a velvet gown, striking ridiculous poses that make Maia laugh. But then, she steps out in this long white dress, and Maia’s jaw drops. The dress has loose, flowy sleeves and falls in pleats from the waist. There’s some beading and embroidery on the bodice, down the sleeves, and around the waistband. Technically, it’s amazingly close to an outfit Maia has _seen_ in Katherine Hepburn pictures, but that’s not the only reason Maia’s utterly speechless.

Izzy’s not doing the model walk, just standing there looking at her, arms stretched out to the sides. There’s a little smile curling up the corner of her lips because she knows just as much as Maia that this? This is _it._

“Holy _fuck,_ ” Maia breathes at last. “That’s… hands on your hips,” she blurts out.

Izzy puts her hands on her hips and gazes steadily at Maia, still giving her that little smile.

“Wait. Put down your hair first. And look over there,” Maia says breathlessly. She pulls out her phone with shaking fingers and takes a picture once Izzy’s in position. She gets up and goes over to Izzy to show her the picture.

“It’s _perfect,_ ” Maia says quietly. It might only be a cell phone picture, but it’s caught the way time seemed to stop for a second as this mellow light streamed through the windows, the way the white fabric contrasted against Izzy’s beautiful skin tone to make her _glow._ And with the hands on her hips? That proud chin lifted as she gazed into the distance? That glorious hair tumbling around her shoulders? The glasses to make it quintessentially _Izzy?_ It’s truly perfect.

Even Izzy seems surprised by it, staring at the picture in disbelief and pulling out her own phone to compare. “Holy shit,” she whispers.

“ _Yeah,_ ” Maia says. “Exactly!”

“I’ll have to change the sleeves,” Izzy mutters to herself, brow furrowed as she stares at the picture. “And maybe bring up the hem a little. There’s no collar, but… holy _hell,_ ” she says, raising her head to look at Maia. “I can’t believe we found something so fucking _good?_ ”

Maia grins. “What can I say? We are spectacularly awesome.”

Izzy laughs. “That we are.”

They decide then and there that there’s no point in looking at anything else they’d pulled for Izzy to try. Nothing is ever going to beat this. This is _it._

To seal the deal, Maia leans in close and uses her best Kleinfeld consultant voice to ask, “Izzy, are you saying _‘yes’ to the dress?_ ”

“ _Yes!_ ” Izzy shrieks with appropriate drama and enthusiasm, hugging Maia. They laugh until they’re breathless.

And then it’s Maia’s turn. She tries a few things that are fine but boring, then can’t resist the allure of the Ugliest Dress Ever. Izzy’s failed attempt to hide a grimace when she appears makes Maia laugh so hard, she nearly falls over.

“Remind me why the hell we picked this?” she asks, still laughing.

“To be _fair,_ ” Izzy says, laughing along. “It _is_ historically accurate.”

“Yeah, but… it’s the most hideous colour known to humankind and it looks like mouldy wallpaper or something…”

After that, Maia has to change immediately because Izzy can’t even look at her without going off into gales of laughter.

That’s when Maia starts to get _really_ into it. She does her model walk (“More attitude!” demands Izzy, laughing and applauding), thrusts out her hip as she poses, then pivots, strutting her stuff as she heads back to the dressing room. Izzy whoops and cheers her approval, and Maia grins at her. _I kind of love you,_ she thinks, and for once the thought isn’t tinged with guilt or unhappiness. In this moment, it’s just the two of them… the two of them and the ghost of Billie Holiday’s smile.

Maia makes her way through the ever-growing pile of clothes, which is ever-growing because Izzy keeps finding new things for her to try. She tries on flowing gowns and slinky dresses, but none of them seem quite right. Finally, she grabs the next two, holding them up.

“Umm… are you sure about this?” she asks, sticking her head out of the dressing room curtain.

“Which one?” Izzy asks.

Maia holds out the trousers. “These are _pants,_ ” she says.

Izzy rolls her eyes. “Yeah… so?”

“Well… everything else has been dresses, Izzy,” Maia says. “And are these trousers, like, period appropriate or whatever?”

Izzy smiles at her. “It’s not just about Bille, babe. It’s about you too… and I think these are a better fit for you.”

“I was fine with the dresses,” Maia says.

“Of course you were,” Izzy says. “And you looked great in them, but none of them were quite right and… something about this outfit just feels like you. And the _real_ theme of Alec’s party is that… however you are is _good,_ you know? You should show up in whatever feels right. And… I have a hunch about these, okay? Trust me.”

“Oh,” says Maia. “I mean. Sure. Of course.” She gets it now, sees Izzy’s point. And while she truly hadn’t been uncomfortable in the dresses, once she puts on the white embroidered eyelet blouse and the high-waisted trousers, she does feel different.

Or maybe this outfit’s different in the sense that she _doesn’t_ feel different. She feels like _herself,_ not like ‘Maia playing dress up in someone else’s clothes.’ She smiles a little at her reflection until Izzy calls out, reminding her she has an audience to show off for.

Maia doesn’t put on much of a show this time. She just walks out. Izzy turns from the rack of clothes she’s looking at… and freezes in place. It’s just for a moment, but it tastes like the sweetest victory to make Izzy stop in her tracks. _Izzy…_ who’s been turning heads since she was a teen, who’s irresistible, who’s a true fashion icon, who designs her own damn clothes and wears them with incomparable flair. Izzy. The person Maia wants to surprise and impress more than almost anyone else in the world.

Izzy smiles then, bright and soft at the same time. She moves over to Maia, and Maia just stands there, waiting for the verdict. Izzy moves around her, looking at her from all angles, and Maia swallows and continues to wait.

Izzy stops in front of her, and Maia looks into her eyes. And surely, _surely_ that’s admiration there. Surely there’s something like emotion in those velvety depths. Izzy smiles at her and it’s a fragile, beautiful thing entirely unlike Izzy’s usual smile. Maia feels like this smile was born in this moment and exists just for _her,_ and the very thought takes her breath away.

Izzy reaches up and tucks something behind her ear. Lost in Izzy’s eyes, Maia only sees a flash of white in her peripheral vision, but then Izzy puts a hand on her shoulder and turns her to the mirror. “ _There’s_ our Billie,” she whispers in Maia’s ear, and Maia stares at herself in the mirror. A flower. That’s what Izzy was holding.

And obviously, Maia doesn’t look that much like BIllie. There’s not much of a resemblance between them as people, and the trousers aren’t like anything that came up in her ‘Billie Holiday style’ google search, but… there’s still something about the way she looks, both like and unlike herself. The eyelet blouse reminds Maia of her favourite picture of Billie, and the white flower completes the look.

“I, uh…” Maia says, clearing her throat and trying to find something to say.

“ _Beautiful,_ ” Izzy murmurs in her ear, and Maia’s eyes flash to hers in the mirror. Her lips part in surprise at the expression there, and she’s just about to speak-

A voice cuts in. “Closing in five! Closing in five!” Footsteps fade away, and they can hear the words being called out in each room of the store.

Maia isn’t sure which of them breaks first, but one of them giggles. The other joins in, and then it’s all over. They laugh until they’re doubled over with it, breathless and in tears. It’s a release and a joy, even though Maia’s abs ache from all the laughing she’s done already this afternoon. She wishes she could stay here in this moment for an hour or three, but they’ve already wasted at least two of their five minutes laughing.

Maia changes as quickly as she can and meets Izzy at the checkout. After they buy their amazing finds, which - in the perfect end to a perfect shopping trip - turn out to be on sale, they get into the car, glad to get off their aching feet. Maia wishes she could take Izzy out for dinner or something, but she has an early morning and has to get home soon. As it always does with Izzy, the time has flown, and it’s much later than she’d realised. Just as she’s about to say something, Izzy pipes up.

“Okay, so today was amazing, and we should really hang out more.”

“Totally,” Maia says with a grin. “I’d say tonight, but… work.”

Izzy grimaces. “Don’t remind me. I got stuck with the fucking opening shift tomorrow, so I should get home too…”

There’s something like reluctance between them, something that Maia thinks might be a desire to stay in the moment. She sighs and turns away from Izzy to put the key in the ignition, and the moment breaks.

After she drops Izzy off with a smile and hug, Maia heads home and eats a quick dinner.

As she gets ready for bed, Maia spots the trousers and blouse laying over the chair in her bedroom. She can’t help smiling at the sight of them. Alec’s party is going to be _awesome._


	32. September 8 (pt 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Updated on Jan 27 to add the costume inspo and edit a few of the outfit descriptions.)

The night of the party arrives. They’ve chosen the Saturday before Alec’s birthday to minimise suspicion. Everything is ready. Alec’s off work. Simon’s invited him over for dinner, backed up by Luke’s insistence that he hasn’t seen Alec in far too long.

Alec arrives at 7. Simon lets him in and they head through to the kitchen. Simon pretends to be surprised not to find Luke. He ushers Alec into the den.

As soon as Alec appears in the doorway, everyone yells, “Surprise!”

Alec looks _dumbfounded,_ and Magnus can’t help but cheer (inwardly and outwardly) at the success of their plan. He extends a hand on either side for Maia and Izzy to high five him, which they do with enthusiasm. They exchange broad grins.

Alec looks overwhelmed as Simon drags him away to get him in costume. Alec looks around a little helplessly, and Magnus grins at him. Alec’s eyebrows go up, and he looks utterly astonished to see Magnus, his cheeks flushing a little. Magnus can’t help but notice that it’s a good look on him.

Magnus enjoys the party while Alec’s gone. Given that he had very little time, zero budget, and only this room to work with, he’d say he’s outdone himself. It might not be the _classiest_ event he’s ever planned, what with the garish, haphazard, rainbow decor, but then again, he did get decorating help from Simon and Maia and Izzy. They were very enthusiastic, but neither Simon nor Maia has a particularly… discerning eye, to put it kindly.

Still. The overall effect is very festive and fun, the table’s laden with delicious hot hors d'oeuvres, and everyone’s really thrown themselves into the theme and costumes. Magnus looks around, smiling as he sees the eclectic group of luminaries in the room this evening.

He himself is dressed as Freddie Mercury. _Obviously._ The man’s a legend, and Magnus likes to think he has a certain… flair for the role. He’d debated long and hard over which of Freddy’s iconic outfits to don, but he’d eventually settled on white pants, a bare chest, a long trailing royal robe in red, and a fucking _crown._ Because why the fuck not? He thinks he looks rather good, though the drama of the look may explain some of the surprise on Alec’s face a minute ago.

But his friends have really outdone themselves. Dot’s here as Frida Kahlo, instantly recognisable from the way her braids crown her head to the shawl draped around her shoulders. It takes real skill to manage a Frida costume without a caricature of a unibrow, but Dot’s succeeded, matching the brightly coloured fabrics to the flowers in her hair. She’s not the only one who’s gone that route. Maia’s dark hair is also crowned with white blossoms, but her embroidered blouse and high-waisted trousers seem to indicate a different era.

Cat looks rather unlike herself and entirely fabulous wearing a silver satin gown with _fabulous_ earrings and her hair slicked back. Magnus knows who _she_ is since he helped her pick her costume. It was a no brainer. Josephine Baker has long been one of Magnus’ heroes, and if the whole Frida-Josephine connection may be more fiction than fact, well… who can possibly know for sure? Besides, it’s a helluva lot of fun to speculate.

Simon makes a terrifyingly good James Dean, all easy smiles and tight denim. The popped collar look and artfully tousled hair suits him surprisingly well. Ragnor, on the other hand, is just a bit terrifying in the satin-trimmed velvet jacket and knee britches he’s deemed essential (for verisimilitude, as he keeps saying) for his portrayal of Oscar Wilde.

Magnus gives up and goes to inquire about the costumes he can’t figure out. Maia is Billie Holiday, it turns out, and the snatches of song Maia sings in service to her costume prove Maia’s got a lovely voice herself, low and sweet and a little husky. Magnus doesn’t miss the look Izzy gives Maia, soft and a little starry eyed. Those two _really_ need to have a conversation because it’s clear they’re both pining for each other.

Izzy, unsurprisingly, looks just as incredible. She explains that her outfit copies one of Katherine Hepburn’s iconic looks, which seems only fitting with Izzy’s interest in fashion. And she’s wearing the hell out of the long white dress with beading and embroidery that covers the collar, embellishes the bodice, and extends partway down the sleeves, which start out loose and flowy and turn fitted by the wrists. It’s simple and gorgeous, and Magnus is more than a little amused by the way Maia seems to forget her own name every time she looks at Izzy.

Magnus hasn’t been able to figure out Luke’s or Raphael’s costume, so he goes over to ask. They’re both wearing suits and ties. Raphael’s suit is patterned with tiny checks and his shirt has a high collar while Luke’s paired his plaid, wide-lapelled suit with a floral tie. Magnus grins widely when he learns he’s speaking to Nikola Tesla (Raphael) and Langston Hughes (Luke). Magnus might be biased, but he’s pretty sure this is the best party concept _ever._

Just then, Alec re-enters the room with Simon. Magnus looks up and goes lightheaded, nearly toppling over as a dizzying wave of desire sweeps over him.

What. The. Hell.

Is the universe out to get him?

Somehow they’d managed to get all the party without Magnus finding out what costume Maia and Izzy had picked for Alec, and he was _not_ prepared for _this._

Alec’s dressed in some kind of Roman or Grecian getup, golden armour and a red cloak, the matching plumed helmet under his arm. His legs seem to go on for miles despite the greaves covering his shins and the sandals on his feet. This isn’t some halloween store gladiator costume, either. This shit looks like good quality.

And Magnus might be in love. With the costume choice, of course. Not the man wearing it. That would be… _a bad idea,_ he reminds himself firmly. A _very_ bad idea.

Alec looks uncomfortable and awkward when he walks into the room, but Magnus can see him relaxing by degrees as he realises everyone’s wearing a costume. It’s not long before everyone’s lining up to hug Alec and wish him a happy birthday. And the look on his _face_ \- starstruck and delighted - when he sees Cat? Magnus tries to ignore the way his heart clenches at the sight, the warm feeling that spreads through his chest.

Finally, Magnus makes himself go over. He doesn’t miss the way Alec flushes at the sight of him, the way his eyes stray downwards to Magnus’ chest. But Alec doesn’t look surprised anymore.

“Figures,” he says. “Should’ve guessed you’d be Mercury or Bowie.”

Simon must’ve filled him in on the party theme, then. Magnus beams at Alec. “You know me so well, d-” He bites back the ‘darling’ he’d been about to say, the flirty tone of voice he’d been about to use. _Fuck._ He **_can’t_ ** do this. “So,” he says brightly, trying to shift the focus off himself (not something he would ever have expected to do _while dressed as Freddie Mercury,_ but life is strange like that). “Who are _you?_ ”

Alec gives him a curious look but doesn’t ask any questions, for which Magnus is grateful. Instead, he draws himself up to look commanding and resolute. At least, that’s the look Magnus presumes he was going for. He certainly looks really fucking hot, which is a bit unfortunate for Magnus’ recent resolution not to be attracted to or flirt with Alec.

“I’m Alexander the Great,” Alec says. And apparently, he’s decided to own it, because he says it with utter, unshakeable confidence that Magnus _really_ shouldn’t find sexy (see aforementioned resolution). Except that he really, _really_ does.

“Well, come along then, Alexander,” Magnus says lightly. “Let’s get our guest of honour something to eat and drink.”

-

Alec looks around, still a bit dumbfounded. Because this… is all for _him._ His friends _did_ this. For him. And it’s… perfect.

He’s still not entirely over the shock of the thing. He’d expected a lowkey dinner at Simon and Luke’s, something warm and familiar and nice. Luke had been right - it’s been far too long. Sure, it’s close to his birthday, so he’d thought a present or two might appear, but nothing could’ve prepared him for _this,_ for a raucous shouted greeting and a room festooned with rainbows, for his friends in fantastical costumes. For _Magnus_ being here, shirtless (and holy _hell,_ those _abs!_ ) and wearing a _crown,_ no less! For _Catarina_ in satin and feathers, hand in hand with Magnus’ friend _Dot_ \- and how had Alec not _known_ his hero was queer, too?! Just when he’d thought he couldn’t admire her more, she’d turned out to be even more awesome than he realised!

Alec’s grateful for Simon. Even though Simon had ostensibly dragged him away to get him changed, Alec had appreciated the moment to wrap his head around the change in plans for this evening. Simon’s explanation of the party theme (“we’re here, we’re queer, we’ve _always_ been here, and we’re not going anywhere”) had made Alec laugh and helped him understand what was going on. The costumes suddenly made a whole lot more sense.

He’d snorted when Simon had informed him that he was to be Alexander the Great, but he doesn’t really mind. The costume is cool, and how often does he get to go around dressed like an ancient Greek emperor? Plus, he thinks he looks pretty good in it. And then there’s the look in Magnus’ eyes, the way Magnus had given him a once over. Alec thinks that’s very positive feedback, and he’s incredibly glad for it because, honestly? He’s having a hard time keeping his eyes on Magnus’ face, and it’s nice to know he’s not alone in this struggle.

Alec opens his arms wide as Izzy comes towards him for yet another hug. He wraps his arms around her, then extends an arm to Maia too, beckoning to her to join them. He holds them close, his heart as full as his arms. “I know you guys did this,” he murmurs. “Thank you both…”

They embrace, holding each other tightly for a moment, then draw back. Izzy’s eyes are wet and Maia’s grinning broadly. “We just want you to know how loved you are,” Maia says, her eyes soft. “And how _proud_ we are of you,” Izzy adds, fresh tears falling. Alec isn’t sure what Izzy’s talking about, and his face must show it because Maia gently explains, “It’s been ten years, Alec. Since you came out.”

And oh.

_Oh._

Alec swallows hard, feeling the tears prickling at his eyes. Izzy hugs him hard, clinging to him, and Maia reaches up to take his face in her hands. “We are _so_ proud of you, Alec,” she whispers. “Of the person you are, both friend and brother. You are… so fucking _important_ to us, and we wanted to be sure you knew that.”

“You’re always so busy taking care of other people,” Izzy says, her voice a little muffled against the front of Alec’s armour because she still refuses to let go.

“You guys…” Alec says, his voice choked with emotion.

Izzy finally lets go, wiping away tears as she steps back. She takes a deep breath. “But it wasn’t all us,” she says, with a mischievous look at Maia. “No, it wasn’t,” Maia agrees, shooting Izzy a wicked grin that does not bode well for Alec.

“We had a partner in crime,” Izzy says, holding out a hand. Alec’s eyes follow the line of her outstretched arm. To _Magnus,_ and… oh.

**_Oh._ **

Magnus flushes, and Alec watches in fascination. He hadn’t thought Magnus was capable of embarrassment. His behaviour is usually so blatant and flirtatious and utterly without shame. It’s something Alec envies greatly. And now Magnus is _blushing._ Because of _this._

Alec blinks, and Maia and Izzy are halfway across the room, pulling Magnus closer. And then Magnus is so, _so_ close. Alec can see the artfully smudged black liner around his eyes and golden glow of his cheekbones and the slight shine of gloss on his lips, and it’s a _lot._ How is Alec supposed to carry on a conversation when Magnus looks like _this?_

“It was nothing,” Magnus says with a self-conscious laugh and a wave of the hand. “I was happy to help.”

“He came up with the theme!” Izzy says.

“And helped with everything!” Maia chimes in.

Alec looks between the three of them, raising an eyebrow at his sister and bestie. He knows they’re trying to get him and Magnus together. They’re being so obvious it’s almost laughable. But he _is_ truly grateful, and it _was_ awfully nice of Magnus.

“Thank you,” he says sincerely, looking Magnus in the eye. “Everything is perfect. Truly.”

Magnus’ cheeks flush darker, and he looks almost bashful and _very_ pleased. And fucking _hell._ Alec had thought he knew most - if not all - of Magnus’ looks and mannerisms. Because Magnus is brash, flamboyant, smart as a whip, funny, sarcastic, kind. But _this?_ Alec has no defence against this.

How the hell is he supposed to protect his heart against this blushing, bashful, _beautiful_ Magnus?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Costume Roundup: [Alec](https://www.calvertjournal.com/images/uploads/news/November/newsnovember2017/_constrain/Alexander_the_Great.jpg), [Magnus](https://www.morrisonhotelgallery.com/images/medium/05%20Freddie%20Mercury%20at%20Wembley%20Stadium,%201986.jpg), [Maia](https://cdn.nybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Billie-Holiday.jpg), [Izzy](https://girlsdofilm.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/the_philadelphia_story_katharine_hepburn_adrian_33.png?w=768), [Raphael](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/N.Tesla.JPG), [Simon](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jd_8.jpg), [Dot](https://www.creativeboom.com/uploads/articles/29/29e6369dba7effa4e45505d56033b779757d6566_1100.jpg), [Cat](https://www.thoughtco.com/thmb/DzlVLL2S_veVYfDOoGF4OWAd38w=/768x0/filters:no_upscale\(\):max_bytes\(150000\):strip_icc\(\)/JosephineBaker-5697f88a3df78cafda8fbecf.jpg), [Ragnor](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Oscar_Wilde_Sarony.jpg), and [Luke](https://cdn.rbth.com/web/en-rbth/images/2015-08/extra/GettyImages-538349071.jpg)


	33. September 8 (pt 2)

The party is a grand success. The guests eat and mingle and talk and laugh. Apart from the endless moment when Magnus is embarrassed and a bit speechless and Alec just _stares_ at him with unfathomable things in those lovely eyes, there’s never a lull in conversation, never a need for the party games and icebreakers Magnus prepared just in case.

There’s music and dancing, fun and lighthearted, with Izzy and Maia pulling Alec to the middle of the room. It’s easy to join in, to be together in this way, everyone smiling and carefree. As time passes, the mood shifts until most people have drifted off into corners for quiet conversation. Maia and Izzy last longer than most, but eventually they move over to join Magnus for toasts and more food. And then it’s just Dot and Cat over by the stereo, arms entwined around each other as they sway and smile into each other’s eyes, their words soft and only meant for each other.

Magnus watches them with a smile. When he turns back to the others, Maia and Izzy are watching the couple too, their faces wistful. For a moment, Magnus wants to _shake_ them, wants to tell them there’s nothing standing in their way and they should just get _on_ with it. But it’s not his business. And who is he to talk anyway? He’s standing here at Alexander’s birthday party _pining_ for him and refusing to make a move. Of course, there are good and important reasons he’s not _allowed_ to make a move, but… still. Magnus sighs.

But still…

That doesn’t stop him _wanting._

Fortunately, Magnus’ inner conflict doesn’t spoil the mood.

After all the initial surprise and greetings, they mingle and talk, and it’s not like Alec generally looks glum, but Magnus doesn’t think he’s ever seen Alec so animated, smiling and laughing and talking all evening. And when he gets to sit down with Cat for a bit, Alec looks positively awed. It’s adorable.

But Alec seems genuinely happy to see each and every one of them. Magnus watches in amazement as he manages to make Ragnor laugh. _Ragnor!_ Magnus loves his friend dearly, but still, it’s rare to see him so relaxed and comfortable around people he hasn’t known for years. But Alec manages it somehow.

It’s the same with Raphael. Though their conversation isn’t as loud, they seem to find plenty to talk about and Alec smiles at him warmly. Magnus may still be a bit intimidated by Raphael, but it’s wonderful to see the quiet happiness on his face. Magnus wonders if maybe Raphael was a little nervous about coming to this party to celebrate his not-quite-boyfriend’s closest friend. Or perhaps it’s simply that Raphael isn’t very comfortable in larger groups. Either way, it seems Alec has helped set him at ease.

Alec bonds with Dot over Cat’s many talents and general awesomeness, making Cat laugh and flee the conversation. They continue, undeterred, and Magnus doesn’t think he’s ever seen Dot warm up to someone so fast.

Alec’s beautiful smile shines on Magnus too. Their paths cross on several occasions, and Alec never fails to mention how wonderful this whole event is and how much he’s enjoying himself. It’s incredibly thoughtful, and Magnus finds himself smiling helplessly back every time.

Everyone’s having so much time talking that they nearly forget the traditions. Maia has to let out a piercing whistle to get everyone’s attention, and Izzy stands on a chair to announce presents and dessert. It takes a little while for the chaos to subside, but eventually, they’re all gathered around the table.

With everyone’s gaze on him, Alec flushes, looking almost bashful, but Simon just slings an arm around his shoulders and hugs him, and Magnus can see how the contact calms Alec. He’s simultaneously happy that Alec has such a good friend and a little wistful that _he_ can’t be the one who has that effect on Alec.

Someone says his name, and Magnus turns to find out ‘Freddie’ and ‘Billie’ have been nominated to sing to Alec. They look at each other, shrug, and launch into it, with the others soon chiming in. Frankly, it’s a mess, a hilarious caterwaul that has Alec laughing helplessly. But they don’t stop with ‘Happy Birthday.’ They sing other birthday songs - some passably, others _very_ badly - in as many languages as they know between them, and Alec blushes like fire even as he beams brighter than the sun. In addition to all the lovely food prepared and procured for the occasion, there are three kinds of pie from some hole-in-the-wall bakery that the group proclaims - in clearly audible capitals - makes The Best Pie Ever. They stick candles into the crust of the berry rhubarb (Alec’s favourite), lemon meringue, and caramel apple pies, and Alec’s eyes shine with reflected flame as he bends over to blow them out. As he straightens amidst the cheering of his friends and family, he locks eyes with Magnus for just a moment, and Magnus can’t help wondering if Alec made a wish… and if so, what he wished for.

Then chaos ensues again, plates of pie being passed around and held out to be topped with ice cream or whipped cream or both. Once everyone’s settled, silence descends while everyone devours the pie, which is every bit as good as advertised. Magnus is full to bursting by the end, but he just _had_ to try every flavour.

Then it’s time for gifts. First, they bring out the main gift: a giant posterboard check (an Izzy Lightwood original) showing the amount of their collective donation to Alec’s favourite pediatric medical charity. Alec smiles and blinks rapidly like he’s trying to hold back tears, but they’re not done yet. Maia has something else up her sleeve.

She whips out a little book, full of the cards she’d given out to everyone beforehand, each one containing a handwritten message. As Alec looks through it, fingers tracing the words, reading what people had to say about him - why he’s inspirational, what they admire about him, what makes him a good friend - the tears start falling in earnest.

After group hugs and whispered words and lots more tears, there are a few gift bags and packages. A hardcover copy of a book Alec loves, courtesy of Luke. A set of scrubs from Magnus. (It had taken him a truly embarrassing number of hours scouring the internet to find scrubs patterned with rainbow-hued dragons _and_ unicorns, but Alec’s laugh of pure delight is totally worth it.) The complete Golden Girls DVD box set from Simon. And finally, Izzy and Maia hand Alec a gift bag, which he opens to reveal a small stuffed toy, a book, and a game. They all look at each other, a bit mystified. That is, until Maia explains that they’ve prepared gift bags for all the children in the pediatric ward and will be giving them out the next weekend. Alec hugs them both tightly, and Magnus’ heart warms at the sight.

Magnus had been angry at Alec’s parents when he heard parts of Alec’s story, and there’s no denying he still is, but… _this_ is the part of the story that matters.

Alec’s found a family. Made a place where he belongs, where he’s loved and cherished. And… Magnus looks around the room, seeing Dot talking animatedly with Luke while Raphael stands next to Simon with a smile on his face.

...And it seems that Alec’s family is only growing. It’s what Alec deserves, and Magnus can’t help smiling at the thought.

Magnus feels a nudge against his shoulder and turns his head to see Alec.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Magnus grins at him. “I think they’re worth a bit more than that, don’t you, Alexander?”

Alec laughs. “Undoubtedly.”

Magnus shrugs. “I was just happy for you. After all the shit you’ve been through, you deserve this.”

Alec blushes, clearly caught off guard. “Umm…”

Magnus laughs and bumps shoulder with Alec companionably. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” he says. “You deserve something good. You deserve to be celebrated.”

Alec looks down at his plate, then back up at Magnus. “It’s just a lot,” he mumbles sheepishly. His eyes widen almost immediately, and he straightens abruptly. “Not that it’s not a great party!” he says, looking almost panicked. “Because it is!”

Magnus laughs and puts a hand on Alec’s arm, trying to stem the flow of words and reassure him at the same time.

“It’s okay, Alexander. It _is_ a lot. It’s okay to be a bit overwhelmed.”

Alec chuckles. “You all really surprised me. I didn’t suspect a thing.”

Magnus winks. “That’s the Bane way. Bane’s the name, lavish is the game.”

Alec snorts. “That’s terrible.”

“Is _not!_ ” Magnus says in mock outrage. “Take that back!”

Alec diffuses what could’ve become a somewhat heated discussion by tipping his head back and laughing. “You’re right,” he says, his eyes twinkling. “Of course. How did I miss it? The latent genius of the phrase has now infiltrated my poor brain, and I am dazzled. _Dazzled,_ I tell you!”

It’s Magnus’ turn to laugh. “Okay, okay,” he says. “Maybe it’s not _perfect_ yet, but I’ll keep trying. ‘We Do Them All,’ though? That one _is_ perfect.”

Alec looks bewildered - so naturally, Magnus has to explain the Events by Bane tagline. Alec gets a good laugh out of it, but when he calms down, his eyes go serious and earnest.

“Thank you, Magnus,” he says quietly. “For all of this. Truly.”

“It’s nothing,” Magnus says with a dismissive hand gesture.

“No, it’s really not,” Alec says. “And I’m not just talking about the time or the money. It’s the whole thing. The theme and the fun and the… everything. It’s really… I had no idea I would’ve ever wanted this, but... it’s _perfect,_ Magnus.”

Magnus beams. Those are the best possible words for him to hear in connection with an event, and he’s never been happier that he got it right.

All in all, it’s a lovely evening and a good time is had by all. But eventually, the party winds down. Alec doesn’t want to leave until everything is cleaned up, but Raphael volunteers to stay so Alec doesn’t have to and the group put their collective foot down, tasking Magnus with taking him home.


	34. September 8 (pt 3)

One minute, Alec’s explaining (very convincingly, he thinks) why it’s _vital_ that he stay and help clean up - because he’s the tallest apart from Luke, you see, so he has to take down the decorations -

...And the next, Alec finds himself leaning against Magnus and walking out the door. And stumbling a little because he’s definitely kind of drunk. And _man,_ does he feel good. Everyone should feel like this. Is there more alcohol around? His friends should really try this…

As they head down the garden path to the sidewalk, Alec’s still not entirely sure how this happened, but he’s with _Magnus._ And being with Magnus is fucking _great._ Magnus smells _incredible_. _Inhumanly_ good. So much so that Alec finds himself leaning in to sniff Magnus’ awesome hair. He just wants to bury his face in Magnus’ neck and breathe him in, but Magnus keeps moving. That’s okay, though, because Magnus has his arm around Alec. And _fuck,_ he’s so _strong,_ holding Alec up without any apparent effort. It’s _hot._ Alec wants to lick every inch of Magnus’ skin, trace the curves of those ridiculous muscles with his tongue. And maybe bite him a little. Just to see how it feels. To see if it leaves marks on that smooth skin.

Alec is about to tell Magnus this because it seems _important_ that Magnus know how much _restraint_ it took for Alec to stare at his _beautiful_ chest and abs and arms all night without _ravishing_ him… but suddenly, Magnus is helping him into a car, guiding his head down so it doesn’t hit. Then, they’re sitting down, which is good. Alec likes sitting. It helps with the weird wibbly wobbly thing the world is doing right now. Bad world. Bad wolf? Why is he thinking about wolves now?

“Wolves are cool,” he says dreamily to Magnus. At least, that’s what he means to say. He’s not entirely sure that’s what comes out. The cab driver is staring, and Alec smiles benevolently. After all, it’s not every day Alexander the Great and Freddie Mercury grace your vehicle with their presence. The man stares a moment longer, then shrugs and turns around, nodding as Magnus gives him the address.

And then, they’re on their way. Alec ends up staring alternately out the window at the pretty stripy lights and at Magnus’ face in the dim interior of the cab. Magnus is prettier, Alec decides after careful, weighty consideration. There’s no doubt about it…

Magnus is also _right_ _there,_ so Alec moves a little closer. There’s just something about Magnus that makes him feel so safe and comfortable, makes his stomach swoop and his cheeks flush. It’s a nice feeling. Alec likes it. He turns to Magnus to tell him that but gets distracted all over again by how mesmerisingly beautiful Magnus is.

His eyes almost seem to glow. That _mouth,_ so soft and tempting. Alluring. That’s a funny word. “A-loo-ring,” Alec mumbles to himself, chuckling. Words are weird.

And not just that, but Magnus is so _good._ He’s a good person. And Magnus should know that, so Alec needs to tell him. “A Very Good Person,” Alec says suddenly, reaching to pat Magnus’ knee clumsily. “ _Very._ ” He nods sagely. "Which is probably more important, though Alec is a very big fan of how pretty Magnus is. But he’s so much _more_ than his pretty face and body and muscles and ass and… Alec shakes his head. “This is _important…_ ” No, Alec tells himself. He can’t get distracted. Magnus is… “You’re **_serious business._ ** And a good person, kind and caring and _so_ nice. You planned my whole party! Just to be nice. Just for _me._ And now you’re taking me home, taking _care_ of me. And lots of people care about me, but most people don't think of this kind of stuff. It’s _considerate_ is what it is.” Magnus is so _considerate…_

Alec moves a little closer, suddenly ecstatic. “What a night! What a _birthday!_ An amazing party with all the people I love - even _Catarina_ \- and now this… going home with a good person. The _best_ person.” **_Alec's_  **best- _ever_ person… “‘M living my best night _ever_ ,” Alec mumbles with a goofy grin.

He’s the luckiest person in the entire _world._

-

Once again, Magnus finds himself in a cab with a tipsy Alec. By now, Magnus has figured out that Alec doesn’t drink much, so he’s a bit of a lightweight on the rare occasions when he does let loose. Magnus can’t help thinking of the last time they did this, covered in post-Pride glitter and garlanded with rainbow boas. It’d been hard enough to resist Alec then, enticed by how boyish and carefree he’d seemed all day. Now… now, Magnus knows so much more, and though some of what he knows makes his heart ache, there’s not a single thing he’s learned that makes him like Alec less.

Quite the opposite.

Alec’s more inebriated but less sleepy than last time. He rambles on in a way that might be amusing if it wasn’t so earnest, disjointed words and fragments of thought that make Magnus’ heart leap and ache. Alec is talking about _him,_ his tone jubilant and admiring in turns, calling him a good person in between humming to himself and looking out the cab window.

Occasionally, he glances at Magnus, his hazel eyes catching the glow of signs and streetlights. There’s something there. So much emotion in those eyes. But the car’s moving too fast, and the glimpses Magnus gets are too fleeting, too ephemeral. He grasps at the feeling, but much as he wants to puzzle it out, he can’t _quite_ catch it and what little he does get, he can’t hold onto.

And honestly, does it even matter what Alec feels if Magnus can’t act on what _he_ feels?

… _Yes._ Because if Alec feels what Magnus does, Magnus must be even more careful. Whatever else happens, he doesn’t want to hurt Alec.

Alec’s been through enough. No… that’s not quite right.

Alec’s just… too important. His heart is too _precious_. Alec must be protected at all costs.

The cab pulls up to their apartment complex, and Magnus heaves a sigh of relief. It’s probably best to stop that train of thought in its tracks before he gets himself all tangled up in feelings.

He helps Alec from the car to their floor, pats down Alec’s pockets until he finds his keys, and unlocks Alec’s door. Without a word, they head for the bedroom, Magnus steadying Alec with an arm around his back, Alec’s arm slung over Magnus’ shoulder. It’s clear to Magnus that Alec will need help, and even if he can’t have Alec like he wants, he definitely considers them friends at this point. And as a friend, he can make sure Alec gets to bed safely.

And so, he does. They make it to the bedroom, and Magnus helps Alec take a seat on the bed. Alec smiles at him, all fuzzy and dopey, and Magnus tries to ignore the warmth he feels at the sight of that unselfconscious grin.

He kneels at Alec’s feet and takes his sandals off. Alec starts mumbling, but it’s too garbled and quiet for Magnus to actually make out the words. He talks back anyway, just like he’d talk to a child too young to speak clearly. Soothing tones and gentle words. A conversation without comprehension but full of caring.

“Oh yeah?” Magnus says to yet another long string of nonsensical words. Alec nods solemnly, and Magnus smiles at him. “It’ll be okay, Alexander,” he says softly.

“Mmm?” Alec asks in confusion, having apparently lost the thread of whatever his previous thought was.

“Nothing to worry about,” Magnus says. “We’re going to get you all comfy and tucked up in bed, okay? And then you can get some rest.”

Alec’s head flops to the side, and he groans at the sight of his bed. Magnus chuckles. “I know,” he says. “Looks good, right? We’re going to get you all ready to sleep, okay? Just a little longer.”

Alec mumbles something that Magnus takes as agreement. He surveys the rest of Alec’s outfit. If it was sweatpants or something, he’d just leave them, but armour? Not so much.

And honestly? _Not. fucking._ **_fair_** _._ Magnus has been trying so hard to behave and hasn’t really let himself look, but Alec looks all kinds of devastating in his costume. And now Magnus will have to take it off, though not in any of the ways he wants to.

“We’re going to get you out of these clothes, okay?” he says, taking a deep breath and smiling at Alec. Magnus reaches around Alec’s leg, trying to figure out by feel how the greaves are attached. He finds leather ties and undoes them, pulling the metal piece off and setting it aside, then does the same with the other. Next, he starts searching for the leather ties that bind Alec's golden breastplate snugly to his chest. He carefully loosens each one, detaching the shoulder clasps that keep the long red cloak attached, then pulls off the breastplate before taking the cloak off as well.

Once he's freed Alec from all of that, he's left with a leather belt wrapped securely around Alec's waist, from which additional strips of leather hang down. He snorts quietly as he remembers Ragnor’s detailed lecture earlier on all the components of Alec’s outfit, including the _cingulum militare._ Surprisingly, Izzy and Simon had chimed in with their respective fashion and nerd knowledge, so now, Magnus now knows more than he ever needed to - names for the garment’s parts _and_ the history behind it. Right now, though? he’s grateful. He needs all the distraction he can get.

Magnus tugs gently at the band ( _baltea,_ apparently), trying to find the place where it’s secured, but Alec doesn’t move or help at all. Magnus looks up to find Alec staring at him, his lips slightly parted, his eyes dark with intent despite the haze of inebriation.

“Ma’nus…” Alec mumbles, then abruptly lurches forward.

Magnus is so caught off guard he doesn’t move until Alec’s face almost smashes into his, then he quickly moves aside, barely remembering to put out his hands to catch Alec. And god, Alec is _heavy_ like this, his deadweight landing on Magnus from above, but Magnus takes the impact with a grunt. He braces himself, then pushes back and pushes back some more until Alec’s upright again and Magnus can ease him onto his back on the bed.

And _fuck._

Magnus’ head is a cacophony of noise, claxons of warning competing with voices delivering tempting suggestions in a war that neither wins - but Magnus is _definitely_ losing.

_Did that just happen?_

Magnus breathes in deeply, then stands up to try and keep working on this damned _belt._ Alec looks up at him, those ridiculous lashes framing eyes so soulful and sad that Magnus is torn between wanting to cry at the sight and take a picture for posterity.

“Magn’s…” Alec whines, putting out his arms. Magnus bites the inside of his cheek _hard,_ trying to find some semblance of control.

“I’m right here, Alexander,” he says, forcing a smile. “Let’s get you into bed, okay?”

At the mention of bed, Alec seems to settle a little. He nods eagerly, his eyelids drooping already. Magnus smiles a little bigger.

“Great!” Magnus says, projecting an enthusiasm he doesn’t feel. Alec’s tunic has ridden up a little. Magnus averts his eyes and pulls it down to cover him properly because heaven and hell preserve him if Alec gets any closer to naked than he is already. He fiddles with the baltea, trying to get the cingulum off, but Alec just goes limp every time Magnus pulls at his limbs, so Magnus has to get on the bed next to him. He finds the buckle ( _fibula,_ his mind supplies helpfully) at last, delayed in the process because Alec keeps waving his hands, trying to point out things on the ceiling and around the room. He finally gets the damn thing off and flings it aside.

Magnus takes a deep breath, then another. Because he’s done it. Alec can go to bed now. Or nearly. And that’s _all_ he’ll let himself think about. Not Alec’s near-nakedness. Not the heat of Alec’s body or the proximity of his cock.

Alec mumbles something that sounds like a question.

“All done,” Magnus says, voice bright with forced cheer. “Now. Let’s get you all cosy, hmm?” Giving up on finesse, he manhandles Alec and the bedclothes until Alec’s snugly tucked under the covers. Alec’s head is only _sort of_ on a pillow but… good enough. Magnus gets a glass of water from the kitchen and aspirin from the medicine cabinet and sets them on the bedside table. It’s funny to think how far they’ve come these past months. In June, he never would’ve dared to go rooting through Alec’s cupboards and such. But despite Magnus’ attempts to stay away, they’ve only grown closer in the time since.

A lot closer.

Magnus looks down at the man in the bed, and his heart aches at the sight of Alec like this. In the moments Magnus was gone, Alec turned onto his side and appropriated the other pillow. He clutches it tightly now, still mumbling drowsily as he occasionally rubs his face against it.

Magnus reaches down and runs his fingers through Alec’s hair. Alec smiles a little and seems to calm at the touch, so Magnus keeps it up for a few minutes until sleep seems to set in for real. It’s only then that Magnus dares to bend down and kiss Alec’s forehead.

“Rest well, Alexander,” he whispers. “Sweet dreams.”

He tucks the covers around Alec securely and watches him for a moment more before tiptoeing out of the bedroom. He lets himself out as quietly as he can, then unlocks his own door and goes into his apartment.

“Hi, sweet boy,” he says to Chairman, smiling a little. Chairman is always a comfort, no matter what else is going on. He refills Chairman’s food and water and, a few moments later, finds himself sitting on the floor running his fingers through soft fur while Chairman eats.

“What am I going to do?” he asks the cat. “What the _hell_ am I going to do now?”

Because now that he’s home? He can’t deny it or pretend any longer. Alec had tried to kiss him. And honestly? It was only surprise and drunkenness that had stopped it. If Alec had been less clumsy or if Magnus had caught on sooner… well. Hopefully, common sense would’ve helped out. But who could say?

All Magnus knows is that this… this _can’t_ happen.

 _He_ can’t do this.

And they’ve never actually _discussed_ it, so Magnus really has no clue what Alec actually _wants._ Sure, _drunk_ _Alec_ wants to kiss him - that much is now abundantly clear - but what does Alec - fully sober, in the light of day - want from him? Is it just a proximity thing? He’s a horny, handsy drunk who wants to get his hands on someone… but is he just looking for a drunken fuck, a no-strings-attached one night stand?

Or does he want what Magnus wants?


	35. September 8 (pt 4)

Simon’s been aware of Raphael all evening. He always is, come to think of it. There’s just this… _sense_ he has for Raphael - when Raphael enters the same room, how far away he is, etc. About halfway through the evening, Simon looks over and Raphael has a slight grimace on his face. Simon’s so, _so_ glad Raphael is here, but he also suspects this isn’t really Raphael’s scene. Between the decorations and the music and the laughter and the loud conversation and the crowded room, there’s a lot going on.

Simon smiles to himself suddenly. Well. One advantage of the party being held at their place is that he can offer Raphael an alternative. He makes his way across the room and sidles up to Raphael, popping the collar of his leather jacket for dramatic effect.

“Come with me if you wanna live,” he mutters out of the side of his mouth, slipping his hand in Raphael’s and tugging him gently towards the hallway. Raphael chuckles but follows without question or protest, which… makes Simon feel like Raphael trusts him. It’s a lovely feeling, all warm and shiny inside his chest.

Simon has some fun with it, looking around cartoonishly to make sure no one’s watching them before he sneaks Raphael into his bedroom. Then he throws himself down on the bed with a sigh. “Alone at last,” he says with a grin directed at Raphael.

His face falls when he sees the look on Raphael’s face, something like awkwardness and discomfort with a touch of nervousness. “What is it?” Simon asks, sitting up and reaching out for Raphael without thinking, instinctively wanting to soothe him. “What’s wrong?”

Raphael sighs and pulls out Simon’s desk chair. He takes a seat in it, facing Simon on the bed.

“We, uh… we need to talk,” he says, squaring his shoulders.

“Okay,” Simon says, sitting up and giving Raphael his full attention.

“Well…” Raphael says, rubbing his palms on the legs of his jeans. It seems like an odd mannerism, almost a nervous tick. _Raph doesn’t_ **_have_ ** _those,_ Simon thinks, _so what is he nervous about now?_

Simon can’t help the way his mind jumps to worst case scenarios. Does Raphael _not_ like him back? Is he trying to let Simon down easy? Is he sick or something? Is someone dying?! Is Raphael about to deliver some kind of terrible, awful news?

“It’s okay,” Simon says, even though there’s no possible way he can know that. Still, he thinks they both need to hear it. Plus, Raphael shoots him a little smile, so he feels like it must’ve done _some_ good.

Raphael takes a deep breath, that smile deepening just for a second before his face goes serious. Then, he carefully and deliberately says, “I’m asexual.”

“Oh.” Simon blinks at him. It’s certainly not what he’d expected out of this conversation, though, to be fair, he’d had _no_ idea where Raphael was going with this. But asexual, well. That’s not a bad thing. That’s not a problem at all. But Simon’s had his fair share of shitty coming out experiences, and now Raphael’s nervousness makes sense.

“Okay,” he says, smiling at Raph warmly. Whatever the response has been to this revelation in the past, Simon knows how he wants _this_ experience to go. “That’s not a problem.”

“Some people would say it’s a problem,’ Raphael says, gazing at Simon steadily.

“Not me,” Simon says seriously.

Raphael looks at him for a few more minutes, and Simon doesn’t know what he’s thinking, but - as is his pattern - he rushes to reassure Raph.

“Look,” Simon says, “there are some real asshats out there. You know this, and I know this. The whole fucking LGBT+ community knows this. But… this isn’t about them, Raphael. It’s about us - just you and me. And what you need to know is that… I like you. A lot. You being ace doesn’t change that. It doesn’t change anything for me.”

“It has in the past,” Raphael says. “More than once.”

“Ugh,” Simon says, grimacing. “People can be such dickheads. And anyone who chooses to miss out on how fucking amazing you are is fucking _stupid,_ okay?” Simon grins at Raphael. “Fortunately for me, _I_ am not stupid.”

Raphael raises a sardonic eyebrow. "You sure about that?" he asks, doubt evident in every syllable.

Simon snorts. "I'll have you know I was valedictorian of my graduating class," he responds haughtily.

Raphael's lips twitch, but he doesn't break. Not yet. "Were you homeschooled?"

Simon lets out a giggle. "I was _not,_ " he says, drawing himself up in mock offense. "How _dare_ you..."

Raphael looks at him in measured silence for a long moment, then bursts into laughter. It’s a beautiful sound, and Simon can’t help but join in. When he calms down, he grins at Raphael.

"Asshole," he says, but there's no rancor in his tone.

" _Idiota,_ " Raphael retorts, his voice fond. A moment later, his face goes serious. "It's not just the people who have chosen not to pursue a relationship with me because of my sexuality, Simon," he says. "There have also been people who _said_ they could handle it - probably really _thought_ they could, too - who... realised their needs didn’t match up with mine. So... it's been an issue before." He looks at Simon, his face clear and his back straight. "You just need to know that going in."

Simon bites back the urge to protest or respond immediately. He gives Raphael's words the consideration and care they deserve.

"I... haven't done this before," he says slowly, trying to really think through his words before he speaks. "And I can't make promises for a future that I can't see yet. It wouldn't be fair to you. But I know that I like you, Raphael, and I know that I want to give this a try. What I _can_ do is promise you that... I’ll communicate. I mean..." He laughs sheepishly. "I know I talk a lot, but... this is different. I mean that I'll... stay in contact with you. I'll talk to you about things - the good things and the bad ones, so that we can work through them if possible. I know that... nothing's for certain, so I can't guarantee anything, but... I truly don't think that it's going to be a problem, Raphael. It's always been about the person for me, first and foremost, and I know that... you're the person I want."

Raphael smiles at him. He's been silent this whole time, but there seems to be something different about him now, like a tension Simon hadn't even noticed was present has now eased. He takes a breath. Simon expects him to say something, but he doesn't. Instead, he gets up from the chair and comes to sit beside Simon on the bed.

Simon looks at Raphael. Simon’s said his piece.

Then, Raphael reaches out and takes his hand, smiling at him. It's a beautiful thing, that smile, soft and full of feeling.

"That's all I can ask," Raphael says quietly, but his words contain an entire world of meaning.

Simon smiles back for a long, perfect, happy moment.

"Okay, so we're doing this?" he asks, his own voice hushed because he doesn't want to break the mood.

"Yeah. We're doing this," Raphael says, nodding his head just a little.

Simon smiles at him, moves a little closer, and leans in to rest his head on Raphael's shoulder. Raphael gently squeezes his hand. They sit like that for a while, just enjoying the moment, the silence that doesn't need to be filled or broken. Simon likes the way he feels connected to Raphael, his head moving up and down a little with each breath Raphael takes. It's a reminder that they're alive, that they're together in this moment. That things are good.

-

They sit like that for a while, until Simon gets a crick in his neck and has to sit up. He glances at the clock on the wall.

"Shit, dude, it's _late,_ " he says, surprised. "I didn't realise."

"I was having a nice time," Raphael says, shrugging.

"Yeah, me too." Simon smiles. "Hey, do you wanna stay? Guest bed's made up already. And we usually do a nice Sunday breakfast. My dad's waffles are famous."

Raphael considers then nods, a smile spreading across his face. "I'd like that."

"Cool," Simon says, a little giddy at the thought of getting to see Raphael again in the morning. "I'll, um. Show you the way." He gets up and opens the door to his room, showing Raph down the hall to the guest room. "Here are some towels. The bathroom, as you probably know, is next door. Feel free to use any toiletries or whatever. And you know where I am! Just knock on my door if you need anything."

Raphael nods. "Thank you, Simon."

"No problem, dude," Simon says. "Goodnight, Raphael."

"Goodnight, Simon," Raphael says with a faint smile.

Simon closes the door and heads back down the hallway, making his way to the den. He finds his dad in the kitchen, putting away the last of the food. "Hey, Dad."

"Hey," Luke says, turning to face him. "I thought you'd gone to bed."

Simon shrugs. "Nah. I was just talking to Raphael. He's gonna spend the night, if that's okay."

"You know you never need to ask," Luke says. "I just figured it would be Alec in the guest room tonight." He chuckled.

"And I promised him your famous waffles," he says with a grin. "So plan for three at breakfast."

Luke chuckles. "I can do that. I'm looking forward to getting to know Raphael a bit more. He strikes me as someone who's easier to get to know in a small group."

Simon smiles. "Yeah, I think he is." He stretches. "Okay, bedtime for me too. Unless there's more to clean up?"

"Nope. This is the last of it," Luke says, picking up a stack of containers and taking it to the fridge.

"Okay." Simon goes over to his dad and waits until he straightens up again, then puts an arm around his shoulders and kisses his cheek. "Love you, Dad."

"Love you too, son," Luke says, reaching up to ruffle Simon's hair like he always does. Simon wrinkles his nose in playful protest and heads back to his room. He closes the door behind himself and finds himself grinning broadly. _Holy shit. Do I have a boyfriend now?_

 _…I_ **_definitely_ ** _have a boyfriend._


	36. September 9 (pt 1)

Alec groans as he forces himself to sit up. He’s been lying here trying to will the room to stop spinning and his head to stop pounding, but he’s not winning the battle. He needs to hydrate and get some headache meds to have eve a _prayer_ of being a functioning human today.

He turns slowly and laboriously, wincing as he moves. The morning sun glows through the curtains, making Alec grimace and put up a hand to shield his poor eyes. He puts a hand on his bedside table, bracing himself to get up. As he does so, his hand brushes against something, and he looks down to see a glass of water with some pain meds sitting beside it.

Alec stares at it. For a long moment, he wonders if it’s a mirage. Is he imagining this? Does he have magical powers he wasn’t aware of? Has he somehow conjured this up by yearning for it? Finally, his fuzzy head processes the information and even deigns to conjure up a memory from last night. Which… Alec would really rather _not_ remember, thank you very much. His face heats up as he recalls Magnus - _Magnus_ \- undressing him carefully, his voice kind and soothing.

Fuck.

That’s… it’s sweet and all, but hardly the impression Alec _wants_ to make on Magnus. Those are hardly the circumstances under which he’d hoped to have Magnus in his bedroom. Again. And if he’d thought it was embarrassing the first time, that’s nothing compared to _this._

Alec shakes himself then, and he immediately regrets it. Moving slowly, he picks up the pills and puts them in his mouth, then carefully lifts the glass to his lips. He straight up _moans_ when the cool water hits his parched tongue. _Fuck,_ has anything ever tasted so _good?_

He’s never drinking again, Alec thinks. Never. Not if it makes him embarrass himself in front of his super-hot crush/favourite neighbour/dream guy. Not if it makes him feel like _this._

It’s not like he doesn’t know how alcohol works or its effect on him. He just… doesn’t indulge often, and he’d gotten carried away with the fun of last night. He really, really hadn’t expected a surprise party, much less the reminder that he’s been out ten years.

It’s bittersweet, he supposes, to remember how his parents had reacted. But mostly… the bitter seems very distant these days because his life is so different. Sure, his job can be stressful and sad, but he loves it, loves working with Maia, loves putting smiles on kids’ faces, loves wearing the most ridiculous scrubs he can find.

Alec squints. Wasn’t there something about scrubs last night…? Visions of rainbows and dragons and unicorns dance across his vision. Someone gave him… scrubs? Yeah, that definitely happened… ah well. He has a flash of Magnus’ smiling face, but trying to remember makes the headache worse, so fuck that. Alec takes another sip of water, then holds the cool glass to his forehead for a moment, repeating the process until all the water is gone. He waits for a few minutes, but all seems more or less well. He feels _very_ slightly less awful, so that’s a positive development.

Alec drags himself to the bathroom, drinking another glass of water before forcing himself to shower. It helps, though, so that’s something. Makes the effort feel more worthwhile. He gets dressed in soft, comfy clothes, letting his hair do its own thing, and heads into the kitchen. He starts the coffeemaker and leans against the counter, glaring at the machine while it brews as though that’ll hurry it up through sheer force of will.

It doesn’t.

Finally, though, Alec’s cradling a huge mug of steaming coffee carefully between his hands like it’s made of porcelain and worth more than gold, which… right now? It totally is. Neither porcelain or gold is going to help him as much as this magical elixir.

Two cups of coffee later, Alec’s ready to make a late breakfast, letting the familiar motions distract him from how shitty he feels.

By the time he’s done with breakfast, he’s remembered pretty much everything that went down last night.

The crazy, wonderful party. Everyone in costume! Being surrounded by his family and friends, by those he loves. Getting to spend time with _Catarina._ The silliness and the happiness and the warmth and the love.

And Magnus. Fuck. If Alec had thought Magnus devastatingly attractive before, the sight of him _shirtless_ was… holy hell. Abs for _days._ And god, just… _everything._ Those tight white pants, the ridiculous fur-lined cape, the crown. There’d been enough going on in the moment that Alec’s brain had been partly distracted from the way Magnus looked and the way that had made him feel, but now… the memory is giving Alec all kinds of ideas, making him want to drop to his knees, making him want to lick every _inch_ of Magnus’ skin. Because, apparently, he’s just as - _even more,_ his unhelpful brain whispers - gorgeous undressed as he is clothed.

Alec takes a deep breath. It’s not like anything’s ever going to happen between them. _Especially_ not now, after he’d drunkenly tried to kiss Magnus and been rebuffed. True, Magnus had handled it with the utmost kindness, but still.

But still.

Magnus doesn’t want him. Maybe it shouldn’t sting as much as it does but clearly Alec’s managed to fall head over heels for someone who doesn’t feel the same. _And what the_ ** _fuck_** _is that about?_ Alec wonders, getting a little angry. Not, of course, that Magnus _has_ to want him. But Magnus certainly _seems_ like he does, what with the flirting and the teasing and the innuendo… and it’s just _so_ fucking confusing, and Alec… well, Alec doesn’t have a damn clue what’s going on, but he decides that it really doesn’t bear thinking about because he’s just going to make himself sad, angry, or both.

But god, he really wishes he wasn’t alone right now.


	37. September 9 (pt 2)

Simon yawns and buries his face in his pillow again, trying to wish the morning away. It doesn't work, of course. It never does. Once he's awake, he's awake. It’s utterly hopeless. His mom always said it was a Lewis thing, and Luke's always been a pretty early riser too, so it's just... a Lewis-Garroway family trait at this point, Simon supposes. He opens one eye just a slit and glares balefully at the window, which is attacking him with unwelcome, obnoxiously cheerful morning rays of sun. He groans and scrunches up his nose in distaste, but the window doesn’t seem affected, more’s the pity.

Simon rolls onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. He feels like he's forgetting something, some reason that today is a good day. He knows he doesn't have anything planned, which is nice, but it still seems like there's something more, something lingering just out of his reach...

When it comes to him, he sits bolt upright, grinning from ear to ear and letting out a little squeal of delight. _Raphael! Is! His!_ **_Boyfriend_ ** _!_

Simon turns over and screams into his pillow, then has to get up and do a happy dance, but he thinks his enthusiasm is understandable. The circumstances are extraordinary, after all. Tiring himself out for the moment, Simon flops back onto the bed. God. A _boyfriend._ And not just any boyfriend, though _any_ boyfriend is a pretty fantastic thing, considering Simon’s general discomfort with flirting and also how awesome and pretty and _great_ guys are…

What was he thinking about again?

Oh, right. Not just _any_ boyfriend, but _Raphael,_ who’s smart and snarky and really pretty and nice.

Simon bites his lip. He should do something nice for his boyfriend. Raphael’s right down the hall, after all. But what? A grand romantic gesture seems out of place with both Raphael's personality and the fact that it's a random Sunday morning with Simon's _dad_ around, not to mention Simon's awkwardness (which should count for at least three _nay_ votes on its own).

Okay, so something simple. That's what he needs. Dad's already taking care of breakfast, so there's not much Simon can do there. It's waffles, not pancakes, so he can't make heart-shaped ones or anything, more's the pity.

Simon brightens as it comes to him. He'll just take Raphael a cup of coffee. After all, he knows how Raphael takes it from all their interactions at Brew Me.

Mind made up, Simon gets up and grabs a t-shirt (proclaiming the Incredible Hulk as the ‘Strongest of Them All!’) from the pile of clean clothes on his dresser. He puts on the shirt and heads into the bathroom to wash his face. He dries his face, puts on his glasses, and smiles at himself in the mirror. He practices saying 'hi, Raphael' a few times in an effort to say it semi-calmly, like it's not a huge fucking deal for his boyfriend to be here for Sunday breakfast with his dad. Unfortunately, it backfires. The words start to sound like gibberish, and his smile takes on a mechanical, frozen quality.

"Shit," Simon mutters, running a hand through his hair as he turns away from the mirror. He flushes a little at the memory of how awkward he's been around Raphael in the past. "At least he knew what he was getting into," he says under his breath. The thought cheers him up enough that the sight of his bed makes him grin.

Because that's where he and Raphael sat when Raphael came out to him.

When they decided to be boyfriends.

When they held hands for the first time.

Simon looks down at his hand, which seems to be tingling just at the memory, and he can't help _beaming_ as he heads out of his room and down the hall to get a cup of coffee for Raphael.

Except... when Simon walks into the kitchen, he stops dead. Because Raphael's already up.

Simon knows this because Raphael is currently standing at the stove with his dad. Simon stands there and stares for a long moment.

Raphael looks up and smiles. "Simon, you're awake," he says, his voice as warm as his eyes. And fuck, Simon is a _goner,_ because just those three words make his stomach swoop and his smile widen.

"Morning," he says, a little breathless.

-

Luke’s enjoyed the time with Raphael this morning. He’d been surprised when Raphael appeared this morning, fully dressed and offering to help, but he’d agreed. He’ll never turn down a chance to get to know one of Simon’s friends.

Plus… Simon had asked if Raphael could spend the night, which is unusual. Simon’s friends have always had an open invitation, and the most Simon usually does is give Luke a heads up when someone will be staying over. So, the request last night felt different… and if Luke’s right in his guess about the cause for it, he’s even more interested in getting to know this _particular_ friend of Simon’s.

So far, Raphael is quiet but nice, and he and Luke have had a nice conversation as they’ve worked together to prepare breakfast. Luke has learned a bit about Raphael’s family, all a bit distant (both geographically and emotionally) except his sister Rosa, who sounds lovely and the mention of whom makes Raphael smile.

Now, Luke turns at Raphael’s greeting to see Simon standing just inside the kitchen. Luke can’t help smiling at Simon, who looks flustered and a little flushed, his hair dishevelled like he’s been running his fingers through it, and who can’t seem to take his eyes off their houseguest. And yeah, Luke was _definitely_ right to wonder. But it’s Simon’s business, so Luke doesn’t say anything about it. “Morning, Si,” he says instead. “You’re a little earlier than usual. Everything will be ready soon.”

“That’s… yeah. Good. Thanks,” Simon says, and Luke turns back to the stove to hide his smile. His son isn’t known for his smoothness, but Luke thinks it’s one of his more endearing qualities, honestly. Apparently, Raphael does too because, a moment later, he’s pouring a cup of coffee.

“How do you take it?” Raphael asks, turning to Simon.

Simon smiles. “Cream and one sugar, please.”

Raphael prepares the cup of coffee and carefully carries it over to Simon, who blushes and pushes up his glasses before taking it.

“You’re the _best_ ,” Simon says, sipping at the coffee before smiling at Raphael. “It’s just right, thank you.” He chuckles a little sheepishly. “I got up to get _you_ coffee.”

Raphael shrugs. “You’ve done it for me many times,” he says quietly.

Simon puts out a hand to squeeze Raphael’s, his fingers lingering for just a second as the two look at each other with wordless smiles.

Luke watches without seeming to watch, doing his best to keep his own smile in. That’s… damn. That’s really sweet. And new in more ways than one.

On the one hand, it’s a new thing for Luke to witness since even though Simon’s been out since he was in his teens, he’s never had a boyfriend before.

On the other hand, whatever is between Raphael and Simon is also clearly brand new. The way they are around each other right now makes it obvious to Luke - from the tentative way Simon reached for Raphael’s hand to the way they look at each other, their smiles full of blooming happiness and possibility. It warms Luke’s heart. Seeing his son happy is pretty much Luke’s greatest desire in life, and if these two make each other happy, then Luke’s all for it.

Right now, Luke is glad there are some other things to do to finish up breakfast since that means he has an excuse to keep busy and give Simon and Raphael a little privacy. Or so he thinks. That plan doesn’t quite work.

“What can I help with now?” Raphael asks, already back at his elbow.

“You don’t have to,” Luke says, but Raphael shakes his head. “I’d like to. I haven’t… been around for a family meal in a long time. This is nice,” he says. “I like helping.”

Simon laughs. “Cool. Then I won’t have to.”

Raphael shoots a smile Simon’s way. “No, you just enjoy your coffee and finish waking up.”

“I will,” Simon says, smiling back. He sets down the mug and hoists himself up onto the counter, then gives them both a mischievous look. “This looks _delicious,_ ” he says with a cheeky grin, gesturing at the bowl of blueberries, strawberries, and nectarines, the fruit ready and waiting for the rest of the breakfast menu.

“Don’t you dare,” Luke warns, but he can’t help smiling, especially with Simon happily perching on the counter, sipping his coffee and swinging his legs. It’s a familiar sight that it sends Luke back to many days over the years - in this kitchen and others - the memories coming to him like snapshots of their time together.

Luke recalls Simon at age 7 or so, setting the table on one of Luke’s first visits to the house, his round glasses catching the light as he carefully carried the stack of plates to the table, so proud of his responsibility, the role he’d been given.

He remembers Simon stirring the bowl later that same year as Luke helped him make a birthday cake to surprise his mom. Well. 'Helps.' Simon had insisted on doing most of it himself, only allowing Luke to give him instructions. It’s one of Luke’s most cherished memories - not just because of the way Elaine had _beamed_ at them both when Simon had placed the lopsided, slightly burnt, badly iced creation in front of her but also because it was one of the first memories Luke had made with Simon, just the two of them.

Luke’s heart aches as he sees Simon at 14. Luke had come into the kitchen to the sound of a shrieking fire alarm only to find a mess of pancakes and a tearful, overwhelmed Simon. It had been the first Father’s Day after they’d lost Elaine, and Simon had just wanted to carry on his and his mom’s tradition of cooking a special breakfast for his dad only to find himself in tears partway through, his usual competent kitchen skills no match for the grief that had caught him off guard.

Luke had turned off the fire alarm and held him while they both cried. Then, they’d cleaned up and started over, this time making breakfast together. And when they’d sat down to eat, Luke had felt hope for the first time in what had felt like an age - hope that, though this would be incredibly hard, they’d make it through because they had each other.

Come to think of it, that had probably been the beginning of their breakfast tradition, Luke realises. Setting aside some time to spend, just them and a home-cooked meal at the sturdy oak table that’s a Lewis family heirloom and has seen a lot of good, bad, and significant moments.

Luke had comforted Simon here after his first breakup. Luke and Simon had spent many long hours talking Alec through everything after his parents kicked him out. When Luke had been laid off a few years ago, they’d talked through everything here, ending with Simon hugging him and telling him everything was going to be okay.

And somewhere along the line, Sunday breakfasts had become a tradition to look forward to. Not just the food, though Luke usually takes the time to have a little fun in the kitchen and make something more elaborate than weekday mornings allow, but also the time spent. Sunday mornings are for eating until they can't anymore, then lingering over their coffee, talking as long as they have things to say.

And now, here they are… all these years later. And this time, Raphael is with them. It's not that Sunday mornings are sacred or exclusive, by any means, but Luke can't help but smile over Simon’s decision to invite his friend to join them.

Though, despite his pretty damn good dad radar, it's really not Raphael’s presence that clues Luke into the fact that something's going on between Raphael and his son… it’s the way they look at each other, a little shy but full of hope.

It's honestly super fucking cute, but Luke didn't become the dad of Simon's entire friend group by sticking his nose into things that aren’t his business, so he wisely keeps his mouth shut and just smiles a little extra as he starts the waffles.

"What can I do to help?" Raphael asks again, jarring Luke out of his walk down memory lane and recalling him to the present.

"How are you with scrambling eggs?" Luke asks in return.

"I scramble a mean egg," Raphael says with a grin.

"These are _great,_ " Simon mumbles around a mouthful of strawberry. Luke and Raphael turn as one to glare at him, and he shrugs unrepentantly.

"What? They were _right here,_ " he says, as though that excuses it.

" _Dios mio,_ " Raphael mutters, going over and moving the bowl of fruit out of Simon's reach. Simon pouts, and Luke laughs. Simon's been perfecting that look since he was little, and it goes particularly well with this morning’s messy bedhead. Raphael must agree because he relents enough to pick a piece of nectarine out of the bowl and hold it out to Simon, who gobbles it up and grins smugly at his success.

"You're an idiot," Raphael says, and Luke might take offense to that if Raphael's voice weren't so fond.

Simon smiles happily. "You're an asshole," he retorts, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses, and it's clear there's history to this exchange.

Luke takes out the first waffle and starts another, smiling as he thinks about the early days of his own past relationships, the incredulity and wonder and excitement of the newness. It's lovely to see Simon getting to experience that. It's not as though Simon hasn't been in relationships before, but this is the first one since he moved back in to save up for grad school, and it's nice to see. Elaine would be just as happy as Luke is, and that thought makes Luke smile even more.

Finally, breakfast is ready, and they sit down to the table to feast upon waffles and fruit and scrambled eggs. Simon and Raphael take seats next to each other, glancing at each other with identical smiles that are almost shy. They tuck in with hearty appetites, and soon demolish the entire spread. "That was _so good,_ Dad," Simon says, leaning back in his chair and groaning.

Luke smiles broadly. “I’m so glad. Maybe next week, you’ll even help,” he teases.

Simon laughs and shrugs. “Well. You know. _Someone_ _else_ was already doing that, so I figured it was my day off,” he jokes.

Raphael chuckles. “It was my pleasure. I really enjoyed this. It really, uh… has been a while since I was around for a family meal.” The slight hesitation and the way he looks away say more than his words. And especially since he knows how far Raphael is from even his closest family member, Luke needs to make something absolutely clear.

“You’re welcome anytime, Raphael,” Luke assures him warmly. “I mean that.”

Simon smiles at Luke like he’s said exactly the right thing, and Luke smiles back. The moment doesn’t last, but it’s lovely just the same. Smiles transition into easy teasing, jokes, and lighthearted conversation that leaves them all in a relaxed, happy mood.

“Ah, shit,” Luke says when he glances at the clock. “I should get going.”

“Oh, right,” Simon says, stretching in his chair before getting up. “Dad’s got game day with friends on Sundays,” he explains to Raphael, who’s also standing and pushing in his chair.

“I’ll just have to be a little late,” Luke says, surveying the table and miscellany that remains from their breakfast.

Simon shakes his head. “No, don’t worry about it. I’ll clean up.”

“I’ll help,” Raphael offers.

Simon frowns at him. “That’s not fair. You helped cook!”

Raphael flashes him a grin and shrugs. “More time with _you,_ ” he says with the air of someone who knows full well he’s playing dirty and doesn’t give a damn.

Simon blushes a little. “Well…” he mumbles sheepishly. “If you want to…”

Raphael chuckles. “Of course I do, Simon. This has been wonderful, and I want to help. Really.”

Luke looks from one to the other. “You two sure?”

They look at him and nod, and Luke smiles. “That really does help. Thank you.” He gathers his things and heads for the door.

When he looks back, Simon and Raphael are bickering amiably about who should clear the table. They’re having so much fun they barely look up to wave goodbye to him, and Luke heads out the door with a smile on his face.

A great breakfast behind him, fun with friends ahead, and Raphael putting a smile that bright on Simon’s face?

Today is a very good day.


	38. September 9 (pt 3)

Simon cleans up the kitchen after Luke leaves. Raphael stays to help, which is awfully sweet. Simon may be completely and utterly biased, but he thinks Raphael is pretty much the nicest guy ever. To be fair, he has good reason to think so.

When everything’s cleaned up, Simon walks Raphael to the door. Somewhere along the way, their hands brush and fingers tangle, and it simultaneously feels like the most natural thing in the world and also like lightning at his fingertips, bright and beautiful and electric.

“Bye,” he says on the doorstep, almost hushed, not wanting to break the moment.

Raphael looks at Simon, giving him one of those slight smiles that seem to say so much. “Bye, _tonto._ ”

“I’m not a fool!” Simon protests, swatting at Raphael’s shoulder without any effort behind it.

“Well…” Raphael says, seeming to consider the matter deeply though his eyes are twinkling.

“I can’t believe I’m dating an asshole,” Simon grumbles, throwing up his hands.

Raphael laughs. “If it helps, you’re _my_ tonto.”

Simon tries to fight back a smile, but it’s a lost cause. “That might help. A _little._ ”

“And you call me asshole a _lot,_ ” Raphael points out.

“But you’re _my_ asshole,” Simon says fondly, then wrinkles his nose. “Erm. No. That one doesn’t work.”

Raphael snorts. “I mean. It’s a sentence, Simon. A perfectly valid sentence.”

Simon laughs. “Yeah, but. _Gross._ Jerk, maybe? You _are_ a jerk to me sometimes,” he teases.

“I’m your jerk?” Raphael asks, raising an eyebrow.

Simon giggles, then gets ahold of himself, drawing himself up haughtily. “Clearly, this is gonna take some consideration,” he says solemnly. “Only the best for my asshole.”

Raphael actually _guffaws,_ and Simon’s pretty sure he’s never been so proud of anything in his _life._

“ _Idiota,_ ” Raphael murmurs fondly, leaning in to kiss Simon on the cheek. He does it so quickly Simon doesn’t even have time to overthink it or panic, for which Simon is extremely grateful.

“Umm…” Simon says, completely at a loss for words, his whole face flushing.

“I’ll text you, okay?” Raphael says, smirking slightly like he knows exactly what he’s doing to Simon, which he probably does, the little shit. Hmm. ‘My little sh-’ Nope. That one doesn’t work either, dammit.

“Okay,” Simon manages to say. “Have a good rest of your day, Raph.”

Raphael had been walking away, but he stops and turns to Simon. “I don’t think you’ve called me that before,” he says thoughtfully. “I like it.”

Simon beams at him. “What about other nicknames?” Simon calls. “Sugar pie? Honey bunch? Darling? Baby?”

Raphael’s face twists in a grimace, and Simon laughs.

“Not your style, _sweetie?_ ”

“No,” Raphael says with a glare, then - surprisingly - he grins. “Not unless we’re around the people from work, and you want to give them a heart attack, in which case… go for it.”

Simon bursts into a fit of giggles. “Magnus and Ragnor! Oh god… yeah, I totally have to do that. Maybe I’ll try ‘snookums.’” He shudders.

Raphael grins at him. “My partner in crime,” he says.

Simon grins back. “I like that one.”

“Me too.” Raphael stands there for a moment longer, then gives Simon a little wave and heads towards his car. Simon stands on the doorstep and watches, waving as Raphael drives away.

Simon heads back inside and grabs his guitar. It’s a lovely day, so he takes a seat on the back porch and starts to work on the chorus of a song that’s been giving him trouble. When his phone buzzes, he’s chewing the end of his pencil, lost in thought. When he checks it, there’s a text from Alec that reads: _GG 911._

It seems Alec’s having a bad day, but Simon smiles. He may not be happy about the reason for the text, but at least he knows how to help.

Simon changes his pajama pants for sweatpants, puts on his sneakers, and heads out the door to the neighborhood Indian place to pick up all his and Alec’s favourite comfort foods. He’s at Alec’s door, food in hand, within the hour.

“I hear someone has a Golden Girls emergency?” he says when Alec opens the door. Alec doesn’t look great, but Simon’s seen him in worse states. He’d wager it’s something to do with the alcohol from last night, Magnus, or both. But that’s the thing about the GG Emergency Signal. Comfort food, comfort tv, and escape from the thing that makes you uncomfortable. The code was established years ago, and they’re strict observers.

So, instead of asking any questions, Simon steps inside, gives Alec a long hug, and heads straight for the couch, where he ensconces himself comfortably and settles in for the perfect comfort day with Alec, full of good food and feisty tv ladies.


	39. September 9 (pt 4)

Raphael sits down on the couch with a sigh. It’s been a good day, but it does feel like forever since he’s been home, what with late mass and then his usual shift at the soup kitchen.

What a weekend it’s been. Raphael is a bit of a homebody, but there are some things worth leaving home for, and going to a party full of queer friends, old and new, gathering to celebrate one of their own? Enjoying an evening of laughter and conversation and jokes and warmth? That is the best possible reason.

Last night had been _great_ , even if being surrounded by that many people had gotten a little overwhelming after a while. But Simon had seen that and offered him an alternative.

God, Raphael had been so fucking nervous when he’d realised that they were in Simon’s bedroom. It wouldn’t have been the first time someone had had… expectations of him, but this time, it had gone differently.

 _So differently,_ Raphael thinks, smiling to himself. _And now, I have a boyfriend…_

While it’s been a while since Raphael’s last romantic attraction, it’s been even longer since the _possibility_ of something actually went somewhere.

Raphael doesn’t have an endless string of partners or boyfriends behind him. He’s never minded the stretches of singleness that lie between relationships, never been in a rush to find someone new. He prefers to let new possibilities cross his path as they will.

He knows that some people consider him cold or unfeeling, that others are only interested until they discover he’s ace. And then there have been those who thought they could handle it but, in the end, weren’t able to.

Raphael doesn’t hold it against them. Any of them.

Those who gave him a chance.

Those who didn’t.

Raphael doesn’t mind. He’s always found great meaning and connection in a few close, true friendships. He doesn’t need romance to be happy.

And ace or not, ‘cold’ or not, Raphael knows that there’s not a damn thing wrong with him.

But it hadn’t always been that way.

It had been a journey to get to that point, what with his upbringing and his family and the way they interpreted religion. In their view, asexuality on its own might have been fine… but being into guys? Not so much.

Raphael’s stubbornness had saved him, in a way. His strong sense of self. His dogged insistence on the things he’s always known to be true. That and the love and acceptance of the people who mattered most - his grandmother, Abuela Claudia, and his little sister, Rosa. They’d been the ones to support his desire to go to college as far away as possible. When he’d returned home, finding himself stuck in a dead-end job he’d hated more and more each month, they’d encouraged him to move.

And now, here he is. Working towards his goals, achieving his dreams, living the life he wants on his own terms… though, admittedly, he hadn’t been sure about Events by Bane at first.

Well, to be more accurate, he hadn’t been sure about _Magnus._ Magnus is just so… _dramatic_ and larger than life, so exhaustingly _energetic._

On the other hand, Raphael had gravitated towards Ragnor from the start. They’d instinctively liked each other, bonding quickly over sarcasm and grumpy commentary and their asexuality, and gradually, Raphael had found himself warming up to the others as well.

Dot is sweet and caring, with a brilliant eye for design and an endless supply of marvellously crass jokes. She loves to experiment in the kitchen and is always bringing in her latest creations (some more successful than others) for the office to try.

And Magnus? He’s a showman. The glitz and glamour and enthusiasm are all a part of him, but he’s no less genuine because of the bright colours and eyeliner. It’s how he expresses himself, and after nearly a year of observation, Raphael has concluded that he very much likes the person Magnus is - warm and thoughtful, willing to go to great lengths for those he cares about, passionate and utterly dedicated to his work (despite appearances at times).

And through Events by Bane, Raphael is making a new group of friends. Alec. Maia. Isabelle. Cat. Luke.

Simon.

It’s amazing to think how much Raphael’s life has changed in the past year and a half or so. From miserable in his hometown - right back where he’d grown up, but now, feeling even more trapped and stuck, like all his efforts to get out had come to nothing, like all the progress he’d made had been nullified - to _here._

Happy.

In a city he likes.

With a great job and coworkers.

With friendships developing left and right.

With a blossoming new relationship.

With Simon, who gets all excited talking about the things that are important to him. Who wasn’t the least bit fazed at the prospect of an asexual boyfriend. Who’s sweet and makes Raphael smile. Who gets this lovely, transported look on his face when he sings. Who blushes so adorably when Raphael teases him.

With Simon.

His boyfriend.


	40. September 9 (pt 5)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Someday,* September will end... but this is not that day. LOL.

Luke smiles as he drives down the bypass. Today is such a good day.

Not only was that an exceptional Sunday breakfast, it was also a wonderful conversation. Luke really enjoyed getting to know Raphael a bit more, though Raphael certainly hasn't had an easy life.

Luke laughs wryly to himself. Somehow, Simon seems to draw in friends who have seen some shit. It's probably natural, in a way, given what Simon's been through.

When Elaine died, it wasn’t exactly easy to bring up in casual conversation, even for Luke. But for preteen Simon, grief-stricken and heartbroken on top of his awkwardness? It'd been so much worse.

It makes Luke extra glad to see him doing so well now - getting out there and pursuing the things he wants.

The _people_ he wants.

And Raphael seems like a good fit, handling Simon's awkward, talkative nature with unruffled calm, shooting back snarky comments as often as Simon gives him the opportunity. And the fond little smiles he sent Simon's way - both when Simon was and wasn't looking - have certainly helped endear him to Luke.

Luke’s not the shotgun and shovel talk type of dad. Never has been. But there’s no quicker way to Luke’s heart than to show Simon the appreciation he deserves.

Luke puts on his blinker and takes the next exit. He smiles as he thinks of the day ahead of him. It really is a good day. It’s only been a few months, but Sunday game days have quickly become one of his favourite parts of the week. And to think it all started at Pride…

-

After the parade, Luke had spent his day the way he always did - at the Free Dad Hugs booth.

Sometimes, other people even asked to join them at the booth. Obviously, the actual parental state of the person giving the hugs didn’t matter, but Luke had heard for years how meaningful the hug booths were and that the simple act of receiving love through an embrace made a huge difference in the lives of many.

Luke had always prided (hah) himself on giving _great_ hugs anyway, but he took his role seriously for a variety of reasons. From his own life and experiences, Luke _knew_ the importance of a parental figure who accepted and affirmed you just as you were, and he was determined to do everything he could to offer that to as many people as possible.

(If all the usual reasons hadn’t been enough, there was Alec. Hearing the way Alec’s parents had treated him had made Luke _livid._ He’d practically adopted Alec on sight, and he had nearly called up the Lightwoods to give them a piece of his mind on many occasions, but he’d stayed out of it at Alec’s request. Loving Alec was the only thing that had held him back.)

Usually, the Free Mom Hugs and Free Dad Hugs booths were pretty busy all day during Pride, so Luke had expected that.

What Luke _hadn’t_ expected were Tae and Qasim, who generally went by Tae and Qas. The couple had come up to the booth around mid-morning, arms wrapped around each other’s waists, all decked out in their rainbow regalia. They’d smiled at Luke and the others but had almost continued walking past when Tae had stopped abruptly.

“Babe, we always say we wish we could do this,” he’d said to his partner.

“That’s true…” Qas had said thoughtfully before nodding in encouragement.

Then, Tae had looked at Luke and asked, “We’re not dads, but can _we_ give out hugs…?”

As _if_ Luke would ever say no to _that…_

After a round of introductions, Luke had dug up a couple of t-shirts for them. He hadn’t really expected much, to be honest, since lot of people came by and helped out for a short while before moving on, but Tae and Qas had stayed all day, their enthusiasm never flagging. They hadn’t just handed out hugs, either - they’d spent time with anyone who seemed to need a bit more support, a bit more love. There had been many a tear shed, by both the recipients of the hugs and the couple offering them.

And at the end of the day, they’d come over to _thank_ Luke as though _he’d_ done _them_ some kind of favour. Luke had hardly known what to say, but he’d known he liked these two warm, compassionate, big-hearted men who’d chosen to spend their day supporting others instead of celebrating themselves. So, they’d exchanged numbers.

Honestly, Luke had been surprised when he’d gotten a text inviting him over to play board games the next Sunday. In his experience, a lot of people _said_ they wanted to get to know you better, but it didn’t usually turn into anything.

Luke had gone over to their place and done all the usual things: admired their house, made friends with their cat (a gorgeous grey Maine Coon named Lola who clearly ruled the roost), drunk coffee, chatted about the little things… it had been lovely. They’d done everything _except_ play board games, he’d later realised.

Apparently, they had realised the same thing because Luke had been invited back the next weekend. He’d quickly discovered that Qas was dangerously competitive and that Tae pretended not to care but was a sly motherfucker on the DL, so they didn’t often play games together. Luke, it turned out, was competitive enough to keep things fun for Qas and earnest enough that Tae didn’t _outright_ cheat (because the thought of taking advantage of Luke’s trust made him feel bad). It had been really fun.

And then, they’d invited him back again. And again. It’d become their Sunday afternoon tradition, and Luke had wound up with two new friends almost before he had realised what was happening. It was great. He’d introduced them to his closest friends, and they’d gotten along famously with Alaric and Susanna, which was even better. Luke doesn’t know how he’s gotten so lucky, but he is certainly grateful to the universe for the people who have become a part of his life.

-

Luke pulls into the driveway and gets out of the car, grabbing the triple sec for the cosmos (Qas' favourite cocktail) and the flourless chocolate cake he’d made yesterday (an experimental attempt at a new recipe since it’s apparently Tae's favourite dessert) and heading to the porch to ring the doorbell.

Opening the door, Tae greets him enthusiastically. “Luke! It’s good to see you! How was your week?”

“Good,” Luke says, smiling broadly. “Where’s Qas? I have _news._ ”

“Oh shit,” Tae says with a grin. “Tell us _everything._ ” He turns his head and yells behind him. “Babe, Luke’s here. He’s got something juicy to tell us!”

“Be right there, babe!” Qas calls from somewhere in the house.

Tae beckons Luke into the kitchen. “Coffee?” he offers.

“Yeah,” Luke says. “Should go perfectly with this...” He puts the container of cake on the counter.

Tae opens the container and groans, his eyes sliding shut as he inhales the rich scent of the dessert. “Luke, you shouldn’t have…”

Luke grins. “It’s okay. It’ll help console you when I beat your ass at Mario Kart. _Again._ ” He smirks.

“You fucker,” Tae says, narrowing his eyes. “That was _one._ fucking. time! What about every other time I’ve beat _both of you?_ ”

Luke shrugs. “I only have to win _once_ to break your streak,” he says, leaning back in his chair. The easy banter is one of the most enjoyable things about game days.

Qas’ arrival interrupts whatever retort Tae was concocting, and in a matter of minutes, they’re seated around the island with mugs of coffee and slices of the rich, fudgy cake.

“Oh my _god,_ ” Tae says, groaning around the first bite.

“Normally, I’d say he’s being dramatic, but holy _hell,_ ” Qas agrees with a low chuckle. “Luke, this is amazing.”

Luke smiles. “Guess I’ll have to do some more baking,” he says with a laugh.

“ _More?!_ ” Tae says. “You brought cookies just last week!”

“And carrot cake a couple weeks before that,” Qas says, grinning. “Do you have a bit of a baking obsession, Luke?” he teases.

Luke laughs. “What can I say? The Great British Bake Off inspires me.”

Tae shrugs. “Who can blame you? It’s the fucking best!”

Qas laughs. “You two…” He shakes his head at them. “What’s this ‘goss’ I had to hear, though?”

Tae looks at his husband and snorts. “You’re such a stereotypical gay,” he says, smirking.

“Oh yeah? Well, who suggested _mimosas_ this afternoon?” Qas counters.

Luke laughs at them both. “You’re both equally - and _very_ \- gay, guys. No need to compete.”

Their laughter dissolves the teasing, challenging mood of the conversation, and they return to their cake.

A moment later, Qas asks, “Okay, but what the hell _was_ this news that couldn’t wait?”

Luke starts to laugh. “I guess we never did make it around to that, did we?” He leans in. “So, I think Simon has a _boyfriend_ now…”

“Oh, _shit,_ ” Qas says excitedly, leaning in too. “Tell us _everything!_ ”

Tae laughs and elbows Qas. “That’s what I said!”

Luke grins at them both. “ _So,_ ” he says, settling in to tell them the whole story. “You remember he’s been into Raphael for a while? _Well,_ last night…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Tae and Qasim, I was picturing these versions of [Daniel Dae Kim (Tae)](http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Daniel+Dae+Kim+2017+Summer+TCA+Tour+Day+13+FtB0CSlR9Fyl.jpg) and [Shemar Moore (Qas)](http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Shemar+Moore+2016+Daytime+Emmy+Awards+Press+gKnRWFuDb2Ol.jpg) :)


	41. September 19

It’s been over a week, and Magnus can’t stop thinking about the night of Alec’s party and the way Alec had leant in for a kiss.

He can’t stop wondering whether Alec _meant_ it. Whether he _still_ means it.

Because if Alec really does want to kiss him - kiss **_Magnus_** _?_

Then…

Then _fuck._

The question keeps going around and around in Magnus’ head.

What if? What if… what if… what if what if what if _what_ **_if_** …

It’s driving him up the wall. _Enough is enough,_ he decides. He has an appointment with his therapist next Tuesday. It’s time to follow through on what he’d decided at the beginning of the process of planning Alec’s birthday party.

It’s time to talk to Celia about Alec.


	42. September 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You get two this week, my loves, since they're short! <3

Magnus exhales as he sinks into the chair across from Celia.

“So, Magnus,” Celia says with a smile. “What’s on your mind?”

Magnus hesitates. He knows what he really _wants_ to talk about, but he’s not sure how Celia will react. Instead, he talks around the issue, rambling about random shit for a while until Celia stops him with a quiet word.

“Magnus.”

He looks up at her. “Yeah?”

“What’s _really_ on your mind?”

Magnus sighs. He looks away for a second, then forces himself to meet her eyes.

“I, uh… I met someone,” he says nervously.

“Yeah?” Celia says.

“Yeah… Alexander,” Magnus says. He’s not quite sure what happens next. The rest of the story just pours out of him.

The beautiful man in unicorn scrubs.

The way their friend circles and lives have become intertwined.

The months of attraction and nearness and _longing._

When the flood abruptly comes to a stop, Magnus just stares at Celia for a long moment, his chest heaving with emotion and the fast, breathless words.

“And I _know_ I can’t,” he says. Even he can hear the plaintive note in his voice. “I know I can’t. I’m trying _so hard_ to keep my distance, but… it’s so fucking _hard…_ ”

“Can’t do what?” Celia asks quietly.

“Date him,” Magnus says. “ _Kiss_ him. All the things I want to do.”

“Why not?”

Magnus stares at her. “B-because of the no dating thing?”

“What no dating thing?”

“The _thing?_ ” Magnus says, gesturing helplessly. “Where I can’t date for a year because of how Camille fucked me up?”

Celia stares at him for a long moment, completely nonplussed. Finally, comprehension dawns.

“You mean when we’d talked about you taking some time to figure out what you enjoy doing?”

Magnus nods. “Yeah. You told me to take a break.”

“True, I did say it might be a good idea for you to take a break, but it was never meant to be some kind of… hard and fast rule, Magnus. More of a… guideline, a chance to get to know yourself again, rather than letting yourself be defined by the people you were dating,” Celia says, her voice even and calm almost like she’s not shaking the foundations of Magnus’ universe.

Magnus gapes at her.

“So…”

“So,” Celia says, smiling a little. “It was never meant to be some kind of immutable law you had to abide by at all costs. If you’ve found someone who’s good for you - if Alec’s as interested as you are, there’s no reason you can’t explore this thing between you.”

“But… holy _fuck,_ okay, so…” Magnus asks a million questions, his mind reeling with the possibilities.

At the end of their session, Magnus walks out of the high-rise that houses Celia’s office in a bit of a haze. He’s still a bit shaken, but there’s also adrenaline pumping through his body.

Because… it’s a new and terrifying idea, one he’ll have to get used to, but…

He can _have_ this.

Have _Alexander._

-

Magnus is so giddy with emotion, with sheer _relief_ that he wanders around for a while. It’s aimless and utterly self-indulgent, and it’s _glorious._ He buys himself gelato and eats it on a park bench. It melts faster than he can eat it, leaving sticky trails all over his hands, and he doesn’t give a damn, just laughs and wanders off in search of a water fountain so he can clean himself up.

When he finally gets to the office, he’s humming a tune he doesn’t know the name of, and he can’t remember when he last felt this _happy._


	43. September 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Just finished my last week doing my super stressful job, and I'm going into my third week of a stupid cold. But here we are at last!

Izzy isn’t quite sure how it happened, but ever since the party, she and Maia have been meaning to get together for a party postmortem over coffee. They’ve settled on Saturday and had planned to meet at Brew Me, but when Izzy’s done with her early shift, all she wants to do is take a nap and be somewhere that _doesn’t_ smell of espresso.

She texts Maia. _Can we change plans a bit? Opened today, so I need a nap - and really don’t want to come back to work after. Can we meet somewhere else?_

Maia responds a few minutes later. _Of course. How about you let me know when you’re up, and we can maybe grab a late lunch? Or ice cream?_

Izzy grins. Maia knows her so well. _How about both?_

Maia sends back a string of laughing emojis, followed by: _As you wish, buttercup!_

Izzy smiles at the reference and heads home, taking a quick shower before falling into bed. She sleeps for a few hours, then texts Maia when she gets up. They arrange where to meet and Izzy gets dressed. After having to be up and presentable at ass o’clock, she decides today will be a casual day, foregoing makeup and fancy clothes in favour of some cosy leggings, one of Alec’s sweatshirts that’s perfectly oversized and feels like wearing a hug, and a pair of sneakers. She pulls her hair back into a ponytail, then puts her glasses back on, adds chapstick, and smiles at her reflection. That’ll do.

She meets Maia at a deli about halfway between their houses that has the best sandwiches. Maia is there waiting for her, and Izzy beams when she spots her. God, she’s pretty. No, fuck that. Maia’s _beautiful_ all the time - fancy,  dapper, or casual. Like now, in her keds, jeans, a faded tee Izzy knows is one of her favourites for comfy days, and an emerald headwrap pulling her bountiful hair into a knot at the nape of her neck. And she’s just as breathtaking now as when she’d shown up at the gala in a goddamn _suit_ and stolen Izzy’s ability to think, breathe, and function.

Maia stands as Izzy approaches. Izzy walks right into her arms for a hug, sighing contentedly as she wraps her arms around Maia, savouring the moment. “Hi,” she says with a smile as she pulls back. “Should we go order?”

Maia smiles back, then looks a little sheepish. “Uh. I ordered already. Is that okay?”

“Oh,” Izzy says, taken aback. “No, that’s fine, of course! I’ll just go order. Be right back.” She starts to go towards the counter, but Maia puts a hand on her arm.

“No, I, uh…” She bites her lip, and Izzy tries very hard not to stare. “I ordered for us _both,_ if that’s okay… I mean… I know what you like! And I was here! They take a few minutes, you know, and I know it’s been a long day, so you must be hungry…” Her rushed explanation trails off as Izzy smiles brightly at her.

“Of _course_ that’s okay, silly. That’s so sweet of you!” Izzy squeezes her arm and takes a seat, looking up at her expectantly. Maia heaves out a sigh of relief and takes the seat opposite.

“So,” Izzy says significantly.

“So. Debrief?” Maia asks.

“Yes!” Izzy says. “Overall? I think it went _great._ ”

“ _Hella_ great,” Maia agrees. They smile at each other for a moment, then Maia laughs. “Is that the end of our debrief?”

“Uh…” Izzy says with a laugh. “Maybe?”

Maia leans across the table as sudden inspiration strikes. “Okay, but _Magnus?!_ ”

“Holy shit, _yes!_ ” Izzy exclaims. “He looked _amazing,_ right?!”

“Oh my god, _yeah,_ he did - and did you see the way he was looking at Alec?!” Maia asks. “ _Totally_ smitten.”

“Completely!” Izzy says.

They’re interrupted by the arrival of their food. They dig in, and for a few minutes, they’re occupied with satiating their hunger with the delicious sandwiches and kettle chips.

Maia makes a noise as she remembers what they were discussing. “Okay, so, like… those two _really_ need to get together, right?”

“My god, _so much…_ ” Izzy agrees, putting a hand over Maia’s. “Because, like, it wasn’t just _Magnus_ looking at Alec, did you _see?_ ”

“No, it wasn’t. Alec was looking right back!” Maia says, grabbing Izzy’s hand and squeezing it enthusiastically. “Even when he was trying to be polite to all the guests, you know? He kept looking back at Magnus. Which, like, _understandable_ because holy hell, did you **_see_** those muscles?”

“Ohmy _god,_ yeah,” Izzy groans. “Those _arms…_ And like, I _swear,_ Maia, I have not seen Alec look at anyone like that since _Milo._ And he was like, a pimply teenager with terrible taste then, so… this is a big fucking deal,” Izzy says, getting serious.

“Yeah, definitely,” Maia says. She leans across the table with a grin. “ _So,_ what’s our game plan?”

-

Izzy leans across the table too, matching Maia’s movement. She smiles in that way she has that’s sharp and beautiful, showing a dazzling array of teeth and making her eyes sparkle. Maia’s seen her pull out that smile before she decided she had what it took to become a designer… and before she absolutely obliterated a drunken frat boy who wouldn’t take no for an answer at a club. She’s seen it enough times to know Izzy means business.

And to know it’s a good look on her - though, to be fair - Izzy looks good in just about anything.

Maia smirks and leans in, playful and challenging. Izzy moves forward too. And then they’re staring into each other’s eyes, proximity making Maia’s heart beat faster and her breathing go a little unsteady. But they have a job to do, a mission to carry about, and Maia shouldn’t let _anything_ \- even Alec’s unfairly beautiful sister - get in the way of that.

She’s a good friend, after all. And a good ally for Izzy in this campaign to nudge Alec towards the happiness he deserves.

And if her heart twists a little at the thought, well, it’s easy to just… forget for the moment, with Izzy so near, with the depths of her brown eyes mesmerising behind her glasses...

-

Somehow, they’re face to face, and Izzy smirks back. “You know…” she says softly. “Just… push them together… put them in a situation where they’ll have to get… _close…_ ”

Maia nods and swallows, tongue sweeping across her lower lip, and _god,_ she’s so fucking _gorgeous…_

“I bet, uh, if we get them alone together…” Maia says, and is Izzy imagining it, or is Maia’s voice a little husky?

“Yeah?” Izzy murmurs. “You think?”

“Yeah,” Maia whispers. “I do…”

A bright, cheerful voice breaks into their bubble.

“You girls ready? I can clear those away for you!”

Izzy’s eyes dart to the broad smile of the oblivious waitress approaching their table, then back to Maia, who looks a little dazed, blinking like she’s not sure what’s going on, and fuck, Izzy wants _her_ _kisses_ to be the reason for that look. She puts a hand over Maia’s reassuringly and turns to the waitress with a smile, thanking her as she clears their plates.

The moment broken, they go order ice cream. Izzy insists on paying since Maia bought lunch. And then, they’re back at their table with their respective ice cream orders: two scoops of dark chocolate for Izzy and a hot fudge sundae with nuts and whipped cream for Maia.

There’s a moment of something like bashfulness with neither of them making eye contact. Maia looks like she doesn’t know what to say, so Izzy takes a deep breath and speaks up, grasping at straws for things they can talk about.

“So, uh… game plan…?” she prompts, repeating Maia’s words from a minute - or thirty - ago.

In an instant, Maia’s eyes fly to hers, and Maia leans across the table eagerly, all awkwardness forgotten. Izzy grins and leans in as well, and soon, they’re lost in enthusiastic conversation again as they trade ideas and devour their sweet treats.


	44. September 30

Alec is confused as hell.

By this point, he’s fairly certain Magnus likes him. There was _definite_ interest in those eyes when they gave him a once-over at the party.

But at the same time, there’s clearly something else going on in their conversations. Sometimes, Magnus pulls back mid-conversation, backtracking on his flirting so quickly that Alec feels like he’s getting whiplash.

Other times, Magnus just stays away from him entirely - to the point where Alec thinks Magnus must be avoiding him. When he reappears, there are two options: Magnus seems reluctant to interact or else seems like he can’t stay away, gazing at Alec like a drowning man only Alec can help.

So… Magnus likes him. Alec’s _pretty_ sure. But whether Magnus doesn’t think he _should_ like Alec or just… doesn’t want to date Alec for some reason, there’s definitely some kind of obstacle in Magnus’ mind, something more going on that Alec doesn’t understand. Alec is in two minds about it - part of him wants to demand answers from Magnus and part of him is terrified and wants to avoid that at all costs. Because… because what this is all just… wishful thinking on Alec’s part, and Magnus _doesn’t_ really like him? What if Alec’s been making it up all this time?

Alec has just about given up on figuring out what’s going on with Magnus when he gets home on a Wednesday and Magnus happens to be getting out of his car at the same time. Alec smiles at him. Magnus smiles back. They exchange casual pleasantries as they head inside, up the stairs, and down the hall to their apartments.

-

There’s another hardware package waiting for them. As usual, it’s been placed on Magnus’ doorstep rather than Alec’s. Magnus starts to laugh when he sees it, and Alec joins in.

They both head to Magnus’ door, and Alec picks up the package. Magnus puts his key in the lock, but he just can’t resist teasing. He turns back to Alec and asks, “So, what’d you get this time?”

Alec looks caught off guard - maybe not expecting a direct question about his nocturnal activities - but shrugs and answers, “A hammer drill for my next project.”

Magnus’s face lights up. He smirks and says, “ _Kinky…_!”

Alec stares at Magnus, looking completely mystified. “Umm… sure? Well… if you’re so interested… do you, like, want to come inside and see it?”

Magnus grins, feeling like he’s just been offered tickets to a Beyoncé concert, and once again, Alec looks at him like he’s got two heads. And sure, maybe it is a _little_ weird to be so nosy about his neighbour’s taste in sex toys, but Magnus doesn’t care. Alexander just invited him in to see his new sex toy. What could _possibly_ be better?

Magnus follows Alec into his apartment, curious about the intention behind this invitation. Is this a buddy thing, showing someone a sex toy? Or is it an invitation for something more? Like: _Hey, look at this new dildo… want to use it on me?_

But then, Magnus has never been in this exact position, so he’s really not sure.

When they go inside, Alec’s place looks pretty much the same as always - tidy and orderly, simple but cosy.

Alec heads over to the kitchen and sets the box on the island. He pulls out a pair of scissors and opens it. Magnus hovers, not really able to believe this is actually happening - and since it is, whether the occasion calls for nakedness or laughter. What the fuck is the appropriate response here?!

Alec opens the box, pulls out the wrapping that cushions the item inside, and steps back to let Magnus see. Magnus leans in eagerly, searching for something bright or fun or (his personal favourite) _girthy._ What he sees is none of the above. It might be fun to some, and it _is_ in quite a loud shade of yellow, but he can see it clearly enough to know that it may be many things, but it certainly _isn’t_ a sex toy.

Magnus does an involuntary impression of a fish, his mouth opening and closing in speechless shock as he looks from the box to Alec and back again. Alec blushes a bright red and launches into an explanation of how he knows this is kind of a heavy-duty piece of hardware, but his old one really hasn’t been doing the job and he really _does_ need it for his latest project…

Magnus gapes.

“Am I boring you?” Alec asks, looking sheepish and self-conscious. “Sorry, I know I can get really wrapped up in all this hardware stuff.”

Magnus stares at Alec for another long moment, completely dumbstruck, then tries to speak. It doesn’t work, so he tries again. And again. And then, the absurdity of the situation catches up to him, and he dissolves into peals of laughter.

Magnus snorts and chuckles and giggles, unable to stop laughing until he’s doubled over, slapping the kitchen island with the flat of his hand, gasping for breath with tears streaming down his face. When he finally manages to straighten up, he looks at Alec.

Alec looks completely lost and quite concerned, but there’s a something else in his eyes too, something soft and fond. Alec grabs Magnus a glass of water, but Magnus is too out of breath to drink it, and he keeps being attacked by new fits of the giggles. Alec stands at his side and pats his back, that big warm hand rubbing soothing circles between his shoulder blades, and Magnus can’t help but think of the other time they did this - Magnus nearly incapacitated by allergies, Alec soothing and helping, his hand and nearness providing a warm comfort that Magnus had missed as soon as they went away.

Magnus can feel the moment that Alec realises what he’s doing. Alec’s hand stills, his body frozen by Magnus’ side. Even as he starts to remove his hand, Alec’s already apologising. For acting without thinking. For touching Magnus without permission. But Magnus is finally nearly calm enough to speak, so he waves away Alec’s apology, drinks the water, and tries to explain.

“So, uh..." he says, chuckling a little. “There’s this online sex shop based right here in Alicante? It’s called the, uh, the Honey Pot. The thing is that… the people who own it? _Also_ own Fray’s Hardware. And they send out the stuff in hardware store boxes? And…”

Alec’s face is a sight to see as he begins to understand. “You thought…?”

Magnus nods. “I thought all of those packages were sex toys,” he says with a slightly embarrassed chuckle.

Alec blushes like _fire._ Magnus can practically _see_ the moment when all his jokes, flirtations, and innuendo finally make sense to Alec.

“I’m sorry, Alec,” Magnus says. He’s genuinely contrite, but at the same time, he’s doing his best to hold back, to keep his amusement under control. “I thought you knew. It’s the worst kept secret in this entire fucking town!”

Alec tries to regain his composure. He fails miserably, breaking out into gales of laughter until he’s just as helpless as Magnus was earlier. His mirth sets Magnus off again, and then they’re both laughing hysterically in Alec’s kitchen.

It takes a while for them to calm down since every time they make eye contact, they set each other off again, but eventually, they do. Magnus looks at Alec, and Alec looks back, both panting and somewhat red in the face. Magnus can’t help but think that this is a good look on Alec, one he wants to see more of. In situations like this and… other types of situations entirely. He wonders if Alec is thinking the same thing.

But Magnus is soon distracted because Alec is explaining the true reason for all the hardware deliveries. As the manager of the entire apartment complex, Luke has offered Alec a deal on the rent in exchange for remodelling the apartment while he lives there. From time to time, Simon lends a hand since they both have construction experience.

Explanation given, Alec takes Magnus around the apartment and shows off his handiwork, and Magnus can’t help but be impressed at the hardwood flooring Alec’s installed in the bedrooms and the tilework in the master bath.

He keeps sneaking covert glances at Alec, trying to reconcile this with the Alec he thought he knew - someone with an insatiable appetite for toys who blushed as easily as he made *hard*ware puns. When Alec catches Magnus looking, Alec looks a bit flustered, but he looks right back, raising his chin a little in a way that makes him look stubborn and a bit defiant and a lot hot. Magnus thinks he’s probably not very successful at hiding how incredibly attractive he finds Alec’s competence, and he’s not particularly bothered by that fact.

Finally, regretfully, Magnus takes his leave. Alec, ever the gentleman, walks him to the door.

Standing on the doorstep, Magnus turns and says, “Well, I’m a little disappointed you’re not low-key the kinkiest guy I’ve ever met, but I can’t remember the last time I laughed that hard.”

Alec, standing in the doorway, leans forward a little and says in a low voice, “You have no _idea_ what I’m into.”

Magnus’ brain short circuits as he finds himself staring wordlessly at Alec for, like, the seventeenth time that day.

_Fuck._

Alec gives him a little smile that falls somewhere between kind and cocky and says, “But you can find out, if you want. Dinner? Sometime next week?”

Magnus is still speechless, but he knows this much: he wants that very much indeed. He nods, finally recovering himself enough to reply. “That... that would be great. Yes. I’d like that very much.”

Cheeks hot, feeling a confusing mix of emotions, Magnus turns and quickly heads for his own apartment. As he unlocks his door, shaking his head at his own behaviour, he hears Alec say, “Don’t worry about it. You’re even cuter when you’re flustered.”

Magnus turns and gapes at him one last time before heading inside.

Well, **_fuck_** _._

-

Magnus enters his apartment, and Alec closes his door.

 **_Well_** _._

He did it. He finally did it! He asked Magnus out!

Truth be told, he hadn’t even meant to. After all the ups and downs and uncertainty about how Magnus felt about him, after the embarrassment of the drunken kiss attempt… Alec had really intended to try and get some distance. Breathing room, so to speak. But the moment had been so _good,_ everything relaxed and easy between them with the truth of the infamous hardware misunderstanding cleared up at last.

And holy hell, the thought that Magnus had thought he was filling up the spare bedroom with _sex toys_ this whole time is definitely one that will require more consideration at a later time.

But right now… Alec can’t help smiling. Magnus had just been so _beautiful_ like that, hopelessly lost to laughter. And that tug in Alec’s gut, the something in his chest that always twists at the sight of Magnus had only intensified as he’d shown Magnus around.

It just… it had felt like something had shifted between them. Alec hadn’t known what it was - he still doesn’t, come to think of it - but it had felt so _clear._

There had been a new openness in Magnus’ manner and something warm in his gaze that Alec had seen from time to time but never for so long. It was almost like… like Magnus was _letting_ himself look properly. And it wasn’t until Alec had seen it that he had realised just how much Magnus must have been holding back.

Because _fuck._ Those eyes? Fucking lethal weapons, especially twinkling with mirth and shining with happiness like they’d been tonight. In hindsight, it was a damn good thing Magnus hadn’t been looking at Alec like that all along because, if he had, Alec would’ve done something _highly_ inappropriate _months_ ago.

And then, well… Alec bites his lower lip and closes his eyes, feeling the rush all over again as he lets himself relive the moment.

He really, truly hadn’t meant to do anything, hadn’t meant to follow up on their conversation. But then Magnus had joked about kink, and it had just _happened._ He’d felt his posture straightening and his eyes going dark and intense and his voice going low as the words just… rolled off his tongue. It had been a joke, or meant as such, but that had changed at some point between the half-formed intention of the teasing words and the actual delivery.

Magnus’ reaction was what had really hammered it home, though, and had pushed Alec to take it that little bit further. Magnus’ eyes had gone wide and his cheeks had gotten a little flushed and his lips had parted as he let out this barely audible gasp, and Alec hadn’t been able to _resist._

And maybe things had gotten a little tangled up and his teasing had turned into asking Magnus out, but Alec doesn’t regret it.

How can he?

Because Magnus had said _yes_ , all flustered and adorable and at a loss for words for the first fucking time since Alec’s known him. He’d looked so completely dumbfounded by this turn of events, the idea that Alec could be a self-possessed person capable of teasing, which was highly amusing.

Alec will certainly have to do more of that. And now, he’ll get the chance.

Because Magnus. Said. **_Yes._ **

Alec’s cheeks kind of ache. It takes him a minute to realise it’s because he’s grinning so widely and can’t bring himself to stop.

After a few more minutes of standing there like a giddy idiot, Alec can’t hold in his happiness. He grabs his phone and texts Izzy, Maia, and Simon a quick update. He knows it’ll elicit quite the response from his excitable friends and family, but still. He’s walking on air right now, too elated to care, laughing to himself as his screen starts to light up with responses.

-

Magnus closes the door and leans against it, then lets himself slide down it to sit on the floor, beaming at nothing.

Holy shit.

Chairman appears and settles expectantly onto his human’s lap. Magnus absentmindedly pets the little cat.

Holy _shit._

Alec… Alec just asked him out.

**_Alec. asked. him. out._ **

And he said **_yes_** _._

Magnus has to bite down on his fist to try to hold in his yell of triumph. He’s spent a lot of time in the past few days thinking over Celia’s input:

_“Magnus, I can’t tell you when the right moment is. I can’t tell you exactly when you’ll be ready. From what I heard you say before, it sounded like you weren’t ready when we last talked about this. In our sessions, it seemed like Camille’s shadow and influence hung over nearly everything you did, every choice you made._

_“As a result of this time you've taken for yourself, I notice that you seem more assertive, more sure of yourself, more confident in your opinions. And when you talk about Alec, you seem eager and excited about the possibility of getting to know him, and honestly, it's been a while since I've seen that level of excitement from you that wasn't about colour schemes or seating plans…_

_"Regardless of whether you decide to pursue the possibility of being with Alec, you've talked a great deal today about feeling bad over sending mixed signals and conflicting messages. That might give you an opening to start talking more honestly with Alec, which seems like the kind of relationship you say you want with him, romantic or not."_

Magnus had mulled over Celia’s words at length, but despite his efforts, he hadn’t been sure he was ready. Not until the other day when he’d been puttering around in the kitchen with Chairman purring away in the corner. And he’d realised he was _happy._ Without any qualifiers. No ifs, no ands, no buts.

Life wasn’t perfect, but he was _happy._

Not only that, but Magnus had realised that what he wanted with Alec wasn’t in order to make himself happy or to fix himself or to fill a void.

No, he wanted Alec because… he _liked_ Alec. Maybe even loved him.

And because Alec was wonderful. Someone Magnus wanted to be around as much as possible.

In that moment, Magnus had known that, if Alec agreed, Magnus would romance the hell out of him - date him and kiss him and hopefully even get to see him in pleasure. Given the chance, Magnus had known he wanted to figure out if he liked Alec or loved him or if he was on his way from one to the other.

So today, just now, when Alec had asked him out, despite his surprise and speechlessness, Magnus had felt free to say yes.

Even now, Magnus feels _giddy_ with it… the pure, sweet rush of freedom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me @ this chapter aka THE END OF SEPTEMBER at LONG LONG LAST:  
> 


	45. October 1 (pt 1)

Alec had planned to be patient and talk to Magnus about all of this on their first date.

He only makes it a few hours. He probably wouldn’t even have made it that long except that he’d had to go in to work after his encounter with Magnus, so he’d been busy getting ready and leaving.

Now, he’s making his rounds at work, trying to focus and failing miserably. All the thoughts and doubts and confusion from these last few months are swirling in his head, and fuck, it hasn’t even been an _hour._ How the hell is he going to make it until _tomorrow?_

It’s simple. He isn’t.

Alec waits until things are calm enough that he can take a break. It’s after midnight, but not too late. He knows Magnus will still be up.

He calls.

Magnus picks up immediately. “Alexander? Aren’t you supposed to be at work? Is everything all right?”

“I’m fine, Magnus,” Alec says. “But I can’t stop thinking about stuff. We need to talk.”

There’s silence for a moment. Magnus’ voice is hesitant when he speaks. “Are… did you reconsider?” he asks. “I mean… it’s totally fi-”

“No,” Alec says firmly, cutting him off. “ _No,_ Magnus. I like you...” ( _Maybe even_ **_love_ ** _you,_ he thinks.) “And I want to date you. None of that has changed.”

Magnus lets out a fervent sigh of relief. Alec can hear the way he swallows before speaking again.

“Okay,” Magnus says, sounding calmer now. “Okay. So, what’s up?”

“We need to talk,” Alec says again. “I have a lot of questions. The last few months… have been really confusing for me. I haven’t been able to figure you out.”

Magnus sighs. “I’ve been sending really mixed signals,” he says quietly. “And I’m sorry for that.”

“No, I’m not saying…” Alec sighs. “Fuck, I don’t want to do this over the phone,” he says. “I just… can’t wait until the next time I _happen_ to see you. We need to talk. As soon as possible. Can we… tomorrow morning, maybe? Or tomorrow night?”

“Won’t you be too tired in the morning?” Magnus asks, sounding surprised.

“I mean… Yeah, I’ll be tired, but this is important. I don’t want to wait any longer than I have to. And if I get too sleepy, we can always pick it up later. I just… want to _start._ ”

Magnus chuckles. “A sentiment I can relate to, believe me...“

Alec huffs out a laugh. “Me too,” he says. “But if morning is too early or you don’t have time before work, we can-”

“No, morning’s perfect,” Magnus cuts in. “It’s _perfect,_ Alexander. What time do you get off?”

It’s a testament to how seriously they’re taking this conversation that neither of them even reacts to the inherent innuendo in his question.

“7,” Alec answers. “I’ll be home around 7:30, though.”

“7:30 is perfect,” Magnus says. “I’ll get food ready then- or will you want to shower first?” he asks.

Alec hums as he considers. “Yeah, probably.”

“Okay,” Magnus says. “I’ll have breakfast ready at… 7:45?”

“Perfect,” Alec says. “I’ve gotta go now, get back to it…” He doesn’t want to hang up, though, and he finds himself lingering a little on the last few words.

“I understand,” Magnus says. He’s silent for a second, then says, “Good night, Alexander. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Alec isn’t entirely sure why, but those words make him smile. “Good night. Sweet dreams, Magnus.” He thinks he hears an intake of breath on the other end of the line, but Magnus doesn’t say anything about it. They say another round of reluctant goodbyes, and Alec hangs up.

It’s not until later that Alec remembers that those were the exact words Magnus had said when he tucked Alec into bed after Pride.

_Sweet dreams, Alexander._

Alec can’t stop smiling.


End file.
